WO2013164864A1

WO2013164864A1 - Life-saving self-inflating garment for apnea swimmers and swimmers

Info

Publication number: WO2013164864A1
Application number: PCT/IT2013/000119
Authority: WO
Inventors: Costantino TENUTA
Original assignee: Tenuta Costantino
Priority date: 2012-05-03
Filing date: 2013-04-24
Publication date: 2013-11-07
Also published as: ITTO20120396A1

Abstract

A life-saving garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34) is described, equipped with means adapted to instantaneously inflate an air chamber, to take back to the surface an apnea swimmer/swimmer in difficulty; such garment has an automatic device (20), for monitoring activities of the apnea swimmer and automatic aid, in case of need, wherein the device (20) comprises: a central unit (21), comprising a microprocessor (22), a timer (23) and one or more supply batteries (24); a peripheral input unit (25), comprising a pressure sensor (26), adapted to determinare the depth at which the apnea swimmer is; a peripheral output unit (28), comprising a valve (29) for entering gas into the air chamber (15, 16) of the inflatable garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34), the valve (29) being connected to a small pressurised gas bottle; the device (20) activates the gas entry valve (29) when the immersion length exceeeds a preset time.

Description

LIFE-SAVING SELF-INFLATING GARMENT FOR APNEA

SWIMMERS AND SWIMMERS

The present invention relates to a life-saving garment, or the like, equipped with a device, adapted to automatically intervene, through an alarm signal or the automatic inflation of the garment itself, in order to take back to the surface an apnea swimmer/swimmer that is experiencing a difficulty.

The major risk for an apnea swimmer is hyperventilating too much and therefore forcely lowering the amount of Co₂ in his blood, whose function is giving an "alarm" to the brain, informing it that hoxigen in blood has decreased under its minimum threshold. When this occurs, the need of going back to the surface to breathe is not felt in time, to insert therefore new hoxigen in one's lungs and in one's blood system. The consequence, often fatal, is the "black-out", which in practice is the unexpected fainting of the apnea swimmer, when rising towards the surface, due to lack of hoxigen to his brain, and which generally occurs in the last part of his rise, at a depth included between 1 and 3 meters from the surface.

More in general, every swimmer can find himself in difficult situations, due to physical faintness or under difficult sea conditions and, therefore, find himself incapable of easily returning to the shore or on a boat, thereby risking to inserting water in his lungs, faint, fall to the sea bottom and ultimately drown.

US-A-5564478 discloses an inflating device, equipped with a small pressurised gas bottle, adapted to be directly applied onto an inflatable article, so that, by acting on a handle, such article can be automatically inflated. By applying this device to an inflatable life-saving garment, the apnea swimmer can go back to the surface.

This prior art device however needs to be voluntarily activated: therefore, it is inefficient if the apnea swimmer has lost consciousness.

US-A-2010/167608 and US-A-2008/268731 disclose live-saving garments according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Object of the present invention is providing an improved self-inflating device, according to Claim 1, which supervises the safety of the person wearing it, during all apnea phases and when the person stays in water, and which is able to automatically intervene, independently from the consciosness status of the apnea swimmer.

It is in practice a life-saving garment containing therein an automatic self-inflating mechanism which uses a small gas bottle CO₂ weighing 16 grams or 33 grams, wherein such small bottle is applied to a plastic air chamber, inserted inside the garment, which can be comfortably worn by the apnea swimmer/swimmer.

The device is equipped with a timer which is automatically activated every time the apnea swimmer starts his immersion. The same timer is automatically reset every time the apnea swimmer has gone back to the surface.

The system is programmed to perform functions of the preventive and direct aid types.

A typical preventive intervention consists in detecting and recording heartbeats and amount and partial pressure of hoxigen and carbon dioxide dissolved in blood of the apnea swimmer / swimmer, through a suitable software, capable of storing and analysing such data, supervising all stay steps above and below water and, upon reaching a dangerous situation, emitting an alarm signal which warns the apnea swimmer/swimmer.

A typical direct aid intervention consists in detecting a dangerous situation, consequent to an immersion depth greater than 50 cm (therefore, with head immersed in water) , for a stay time longer than a certain value, adjustable by the apnea swimmer according to his personal capabilities of resistance under water. In such case, the device inflates the garment, taking back the apnea swimmer to the surface, even if he has lost consciousness.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device is programmed to use an "internal memory buffer" to generate a user activity "file". In this way, a sort of "black box" is obtained, to be used for monitoring the health status of the user, being thereby possible to provide the helpers, in case of accident, with precious information to be able to efficiently intervene, having the health situation of the recorded physiologic values of the apnea swimmer .

In a simplified, and also cheaper, version, the device according to the invention can be used with the only function of direct aid, namely inflating the garment, when a pre-set immersion time is exceeded.

The invention will now be described, as a non limiting example, with reference to some preferred embodiments thereof and with reference to the enclosed Figures, in which:

• Figures 1, 2 and 3 show various embodiments of the invention;

• Figura 4 shows the structure of an air chamber, making part of the inflatable garment, according to the invention;

• Figure 5 shows the block diagram of the safety and alarm monitoring device;

• Figura 6 shows another embodiment of the invention .

Figures 1, 2 and 3 respectively show the upper part of an apnea-type diving suit (1), with two vies, a front and a rear ones, a bodice (2) and two backs (3a, 3b) . Such garments, which are commonly worn by an apnea swimmer for his immersions, are equipped with the inflating device according to the invention .

Both diving suit (1) and bodice (2) are normally made of neoprene, whose thickness is chosen depending on the water temperature in which one is immersed. Typically, such thickness is 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm and 9 mm.

Though being always in neoprene, there are several structures of which diving suits and bodices can be made:

• a first structure is known as "smooth/broken neoprene", namely a layer of smooth and compact neoprene outside and a rough, more porous neoprene (called "broken") inside;

• a second structurs is known as "lined neoprene", namely "broken" neoprene, which is in contact with the skin, is coated outside with a cloth liner, which will therefore be in contact with water;

• a third structure is known as "neoprene Force 3"™; it is an evolution of the smooth/broken neoprene, that provides for the insertion of a liner or plastic material between the two layers of neoprene. In practice, there will be a sandwich-type structure with a layer of porous neoprene in contact with the skin, the liner or plastic material glued thereon, and the smooth neoprene still above. Figure 4a shows a structure (10) in compliance with the invention. Such structure (10) derives from the structure called "neoprene Force 3"™, from which it differs due to the fact that it comprises a double layer of plastic material inside the sandwich .

This structure (10) comprises:

• a layer of broken neoprene (11) in contact with the skin;

· a first layer of plastic material (12) glued onto the layer of broken neoprene (11);

• a second layer of plastic material (13) in contact with the first layer of plastic material ( 12 ) ;

· an external layer of smooth neoprene (14), glued onto the second layer of plastic material (13) .

The first and the second layer of plastic material (13, 14) are mutually glued, but not on their whole surface. Wide surfaces will be left not glued, next to the areas in which air chambers (15) to be inflated must be obtained, as shown in Figure 4b.

In case of a diving suit (1), the air chambers (15) will advantageously be made next to the nape of the neck and the thorax, while, in case of a bodice (2), the air chambers (15) will advantageously be placed next to the thorax and the shoulders .

With respect to the diving suit (1), the bodice (2) can be more practically used and can be comfortably worn by anyone, without any restriction on arms or neck. This feature makes it particularly suitable to be used as life-saving garment by risky categories (such as children and elderly people) , and in general for all swimmers that wish to be able to swim with a high safety level.

In case of use of a bodice (2), it will be very important that the adherence to a body is perfect, in order to avoid that the inflated bodice (2) can slide away from the swimmer's torso, lacking consciousness, being withdrawn from his arms. For such purpose, it is preferable to provide, for the lower part (2a) of the bodice, a configuration similar to the arrangement (la) of the diving suit (1), namely a connection between the front part and the rear part of the bodice (2) through an element passing between the user's legs and that protects him from such danger. Figure 3 shows two models of back (3a, 3b) . Function of this type of accessory for the apnea swimmer is in practice to contain the ballast. Normally a back is not made of neoprene; however, it is always possible, using known techniques, to obtain air chambers (16), as shown in Figure 3.

It is also possibile to provide for air chambers also on the shoulders and the front part of the back (not shown) , wherein, when a swimmer reaches the surface, in this way he finds himself in a supine position, namely he does not run the risk of remaining with his face down in the water, as would occur in case of ascent with his back upwards .

A back (3a, 3b), to which the device according to the invention has ben applied, would be a unique solution valid both for apnea swimmers and for swimmers .

This would allow the apnea swimmer to wear only the jacket of an ordinary diving suit and to add thereto a self-inflating back (3a, 3b), without having to add a bodice under his diving suit or a vest above it, allowing to greatly increase the practical uses linked to a single garment and not increasing its final rigidity. An accessory of this type would then be rather practical for any category of swimmers.

Figure 5 shows the block diagram of an automatic device (20) for monitoring an apnea swimmer and the automatic aid, in case of need.

Such device (20) comprises a central unit (21) and input-output peripheral units.

The central unit (21) comprises:

• a microprocessor (22) ;

• a timer ( 23 ) ;

• one or more supply batteries (24) .

The input peripheral units (25) comprise:

• a pressure sensor (26) , adapted to determine the depth at which a user is;

• a piezoelectric sensor (27), adapted to detect the user's heartbeats; and

• a pulse-oximeter or Clark sensor (not shown) , adapted to detect amounts and partial pressures of hoxigen and carbon dioxide present in the user's blood.

The output peripheral units (28) comprise:

• a valve (29) , connected to a small pressurised gas bottle (not shown) , to drive the immission of gas into the garment air chambers (15, 16); • a vibrator (30), to be put on a wrist or to be installed in the bodice, which generates a pre- alarm signal, to warn the apnea swimmer that, from then within a preset time, the bodice will be inflated;

• a "buzzer" (31) for an acoustic signaling;

• a "strobe" lamp (32) for a luminous signaling.

There are then some warning lights (33) adapted to monitor the device status, such as, for example, battery charge (24), pressure of the small C0₂ bottle, etc.

The system, which is supplied by lithium batteries (24), is programmed to go automatically in standby, after a time which can be set by signaling a null pressure. In practice, when the garment is outside the water, for example for 15 minutes, the electronics goes in standby.

The timer (23) is automatically activated every time the water pressure, measured by the sensor (26), is greater than the present one, for example, at 50 cm of depth from the surface, namely every time an immersion starts.

The same timer (23) is automatically reset every time the pressure has become again lower than the previously measured one, before starting the immersion, namely at 50 cm of depth from the surface, since this is clearly a "normality" situation, in which the apnea swimmer has come back conscious to the surface.

The device (20) is programmed to perform functions of the preventive and direct aid types.

A typical preventive intervention consists in detecting the heartbeats, through the sensor (27) . It is also possible to add a sensor of the pulse- oxymeter type, or alternatively a Clark sensor (not shown) to measure the behaviour of amounts and partial pressures of hoxigen and carbon dioxide in- blood. Such sensors, not invasive, need however to be in contact with a body area with high concentration of surface blood capillaries (since they measure the reflection of light on capillaries) , and therefore could be placed on the swimmer's wrist or, even better, inside the mask next to the nose hunch. The system (20), through a software capable of storing and analysing such data, supervises all stay steps above and below water, detected by the pressure sensor (26) and, upon reaching a dangerous situation, activates the vibrator (30), which warns the apnea swimmer/swimmer .

The dangerous situation will be detected according to a customised table which takes into account the age and physical characteristics of the apnea swimmer/swimmer, in addition to his previous experiences and historical data. Upon reaching a dangerous situation, the system activates the vibrator (30), in order to warn the apnea swimmer/swimmer, before a black-out condition occurs.

A typical direct aid intervention consists in detecting a dangerous situation following an immersion depth greater than 50 cm (therefore with head immersed into water) , detected by the pressure sensor (26) , for a stay time longer than a certain value, adjustable by the apnea swimmer according to his personal capabilities of resistance under water. In such case, the device, by activating the valve (29), inflates the air chambers (15) or (16), taking back the apnea swimmer to the surface, even if he has lost consciousness.

After having reached the surface, the device activates the "buzzer" (31) and the "strobe" lamp (32)., to warn who is in surface, nearby the apnea swimmer/swimmer victim of a black-out, in order to more easily locate his position and provide him with first aids.

According to a preferred embodiment, the microprocessor (22) is programmed to use an "internal memory buffer" to generate a user activity file. In this way, a sort of "black box" is obtained, to be used for monitoring the health status of a user, being thereby possible to provide the helpers, in case of accident, with precious information to be able to efficiently intervene, having the health situation of recorded physiologic values of the apnea swimmer.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the device (20) comprising, in addition to the central unit (21), only the pressure sensor (26) and the gas entry valve (29) , can be used together with a rather simple and cheap inflatable device, of the collar-type life belt (34), like the one shown in Figure 7. Such collar-type life belt (34) is preferably equipped with means (not shown) adapted to safely connect it to the body, in order to avoid its accidental withdrawal. In such case, the device (20) would have the only function of direct aid, namely taking back to the surface the apnea swimmer that has stayed for a longer time than the set one, at a depth greater than 50 cm. In such case, there would be a rather simple and cheap device which, anyway, would ensure an aid in case of black-out.

The invention has been described as a non- limiting example, according to various embodiments thereof. A skilled person in the art could find other embodiments, all falling within the scope of the enclosed claims. For example, it is possible to provide for an additional drive (for example of the cord or push-button type) which anyway allows a manual actuation of the device (20) under an emergency situation. Moreover, the positioning of the air chambers 15, 16 allows the fainted person, once having reached the surface, to find himself in a supine position with his breathways open and upwards oriented: in practice, the air chamber will be placed along the armpit-breast-nape of the neck- breast-armpit direction, in order to be inflated on the breasts and support the nape of the neck from behind.

Claims

1. Life-saving garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34), of the type equipped with means adapted to instantaneously inflate an air chamber (15, 16) , in order to take back to a surface an apnea swimmer/swimmer in difficulty, containing an automatic device (20), for monitoring activities of said apnea swimmer/swimmer and automatic aid, in case of need, said device (20) comprising:

• a central unit (21), comprising a microprocessor (22), a timer (23) and one or more supply batteries (24);

• a peripheral input unit (25) , comprising a pressure sensor (26) , adapted to determine a depth at which said apnea swimmer/swimmer is;

• a peripheral output unit (28), comprising a valve (29) for entering gas into the air chambers (15, 16) of said inflatable garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34), said valve (29) being connected to a small pressurised gas bottle; wherein said device (20) is adapted to activate said gas entry valve (29) when an immersion length exceeds a preset time;

characterised in that it is programmed so that said timer (23) is automatically activated, once the apnea swimmer starts his immersion, and is automatically reset every time the apnea swimmer has come back to the surface, the immersion being detected through a water pressure variation, measured by said pressure sensor (26) .

2. Life-saving garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34) according to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises, among its input peripheral units (25), a piezoelectric sensor (27) adapted to detect heartbeats of the apnea swimmer/swimmer, and/or a pulse-oximeter or a Clark sensor, adapted to detect amounts and partial pressures of hoxigen and carbon dioxide present in the apnea swimmer/swimmer blood.

3. Life-saving garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34) according to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises, among its output peripheral units (28), one or more of the following units:

• a vibrator (30) of the wrist type or directly installed in the inflatable garment, adapted to generate a pre-alarm signal;

• a "buzzer" (31) , adapted to perform an acoustic signaling; • a "strobe" lamp (32) , adapted to perform a luminous signaling.

Life-saving garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it has a software adapted to store and analyse hartbeats and amounts and partial pressures of hoxigen and carbon dioxide in blood, and to supervise all steps of stay above and below water and, upon reaching a dangerous situation, activate said vibrator (30), and/or a software adapted to activate said gas entry valve (29) , inflating said inflatable garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34), when the immersion exceeds a preset time.

Life-saving garment (1, 2, 3a, 3b, 34) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it has a software adapted to use an "internal memory buffer" to generate a user activity file, said file containing information about his health status.

Life-saving garment (1, 2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it has the following structure (10) :

• a layer of broken neoprene (11), in contact with the skin; • a first layer of plastic material (12) glued onto said layer of broken neoprene (11);

• a second layer of plastic material (13), in contact with said first layer of plastic material (12) ;

• an external layer of smooth neoprene (14), glued onto said second layer of plastic material (13) ;

wherein said first and second layer of plastic material (13, 14) are mutually glued, but not on the whole surface, in order to locate one or more air chambers (15) , adapted to be inflated.

7. Life-saving garment (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it has a connection between a front part and a rear part of a bodice (2), through an element (2a) which passes between the user's legs.

8. Life-saving garment (3a, 3b) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that it has one or more air chambers (16) , made on a back (3a, 3b), as replacement of ballast housings, and/or placed on the user's shoulders.

9. Life-saving garment (34) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that said garment (34) is a collar-type life belt, equipped with means adapted to prevent its accidental withdrawal from a body of the apnea swimmer/swimmer .

10. Life-saving garment (34) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that a placement of said air chambers (15, 16) allows a fainted person, once having reached the surface, to be in a supine position with his breath ways open and upwards oriented, said air chambers

(15, 16) being placed along the armpit-breast- nape of the neck-breast-armpit direction, in order to be inflated on the breasts and support the nape of the neck from behind.