Integrated Umbilical Delivery System for Gas, Data, Communications Acquisition /Documentation, Accessory Power and Safety for Users in Adverse Environments

• US 20170173368A1
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Messner
• Original Assignee: William Messner
• Inventors: Messner, William
• Granted Patent: US 10,500,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 35/0043 Lifelines, lanyards, and anchors therefore attachments A62B35/0037
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/12 with fresh-air hose
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/02 Valves non-return valves mounted in breathing masks or helmets A62B18/10
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/08 Control of air pressure within suit, e.g. for controlling buoyancy ; Buoyancy compensator vests, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/20 from water surface

Abstract

An umbilical system for sourcing and delivering within a flexible protective covering, a plurality of different breathing gasses, safety tether, a plurality of ancillary lines for remotely distributable, documentable, multidirectional, multi-format data/communications acquisition and delivery, personal/situational awareness and ancillary power sources for tool, accessory or device enervation, to a plurality of Users in an adverse environment.

Claims

1. An umbilical system for sourcing and deploying from the proximal end, within a single flexible protective covering made of any suitable material natural or synthetic, a plurality of differently mixed breathing gasses, safety tether, a plurality of ancillary lines for documentable, multidirectional, multi-format data/communications acquisition, distribution and delivery, personal/situational awareness and ancillary power sources for tool, accessory, sensory or device enervation, to a plurality of User'"'"'s in an adverse environment, whereby a plurality of variable high pressure gas sources communicate with a plurality of Inlet Pressure Regulator(s) operable at select-ably constant pressure, which communicates through flexible high pressure gas lines, with a plurality of deployment systems, which communicates with a plurality of flexible high pressure gas lines made of any suitable material, wherein said high pressure gas lines selectively communicate at the distal end with a plurality of first pressure reducing regulator(s) to deliver said gas to said plurality of Users at suitable pressure;

or in the alternative, said pressure reducing regulators may communicate with a multiport gas distribution selector manifold that may communicate with a plurality of second pressure reducing regulator(s) to deliver said gas to said plurality of Users at suitable pressure.

2. The umbilical system of claim 1, wherein said flexible protective covering and said high pressure gas lines communicate at the proximal end with said deployment system;

and wherein said flexible protective covering further contains a safety tether made of any suitable material natural or synthetic;

a plurality of independent, multi-format, multi-directional circuits made of any suitable material natural or synthetic for acquisition, delivery, monitoring, distribution and documentation of said communications and sensory data;

a plurality of independent accessory power circuits and lines made of any suitable material natural or synthetic by which accessory tools, instruments and devices at the distal end may be enervated at the proximal end by power sources suitable to said devices and uses at the distal end.

3. The umbilical system of claim 1, wherein said high pressure gas lines communicate at the distal end with said plurality of User'"'"'s either directly, through said pressure reducing regulators, or by intermediary delivery of said high pressure gas to a plurality of high pressure redundant back up gas holding tanks, which in turn deliver said gas to said Plurality of Users.

4. The multiport gas distribution selector manifold of claim 1, wherein said breathing gas may be select-ably delivered from a plurality of alternative pressure reducing regulated gas sources to said second pressure reducing regulator, to deliver said gas to said plurality of Users at suitable pressure.

5. The multiport gas distribution selector manifold of claim 1, wherein the alternative, said breathing gas may be select-ably delivered from a high pressure multi-gas selector manifold, to said first pressure reducing regulator, for selectable delivery to said plurality of Users at suitable pressure.

6. The high pressure multi-gas selector manifold of claim 1, wherein said breathing gasses may be select-ably delivered from a plurality of high pressure gas sources, derived from said plurality of flexible high pressure gas lines made of any material, contained within said flexible protective covering.

7. The alternative post first pressure reducing regulated gas sources of claim 4, wherein said plurality of alternative gas sources may derive alternatively from said plurality of redundant gas sources, or delivered through flexible gas lines.

8. The redundant gas sources of claim 1, wherein said sources incorporate tank valves and first pressure reducing regulators, either separately or integrated, through which their breathing gas contents may be disbursed to any user and concurrently or independently refilled in situ at the distal end from said high pressure gas line contained within said flexible protective covering.

9. The plurality of said first pressure reducing regulators of claim 1, wherein said regulators contain multiple low pressure gas OUT ports, for communication with and delivery of low pressure gas to secondary devices, including but not limited to buoyancy control devices, exposure suits and second pressure reducing regulators for direct, redundant delivery of breathing gas to said Plurality of Users.

10. The first pressure reducing regulator of claim 7, wherein said regulator contains multiple low pressure gas OUT ports, for communication with and delivery of low pressure gas to secondary devices, including but not limited to buoyancy control devices, exposure suits and second pressure reducing regulators for direct, redundant delivery of breathing gas to said plurality of Users.

11. The umbilical system of claim 1 wherein said safety tether, made of any suitable material natural or synthetic, is of sufficient strength to redeploy said plurality of Users from said adverse environment.

12. The flexibly covered umbilical of claim 1, wherein said independent, multi-format, multi-directional circuits provides a plurality of channels of situational data, aural and visual communication, between a plurality of Users at the distal end of the system, a plurality of Operators at the proximal end of said system for direct and or remote data acquisition, monitoring, analyzing, distribution and documentation.

13. The independent accessory power circuits and lines of claim 1, wherein at the proximal end of the system, said sources produce forms of power suitable for enervation of devices accessories and or tools at the distal end, through connective circuits within said deployment system.

14. The plurality of variable high pressure gas sources of claim 1, communicate with a plurality of Inlet Pressure Regulator(s) contained within a housing system, which communicates with said deployment system.

15. The plurality of deployment systems of claim 1, wherein at the proximal end said high pressure gas lines, said safety tether, said accessory power lines and said data communication lines are combined within, into a single, flexibly covered umbilical line for uninterruptable, deployment to said plurality of Users.