Portable life support system

• US 5,365,745 A
• Filed: 12/30/1992
• Issued: 11/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oceaneering International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Oceaneering International Incorporated
• Inventors: Caldwell, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Capossela, Ronald C.
• Application Number:
  US07/998,902
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 165/46, 62/259.3, 62/50.2, 62/50.4
• US Class Current: 62/50.4
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0053 Cooled garments
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 17/00 Protective clothing affording protection against heat or harmful chemical agents or for use at high altitudes protective clothing or garments for work or sport A41D13/00; e.g. overalls A41D13/02, surgical gowns A41D13/12; materials for protecting clothing A41D31/04; protecting eyes or ears A61F9/00; composition of materials for protective clothing A62D5/00; life-saving garments for use at sea B63C; diving suits B63C11/02; flight suits B64D10/00; space suits B64G6/00; bullet-proof clothing F41H1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 7/06 with liquid oxygen or air; Cryogenic systems
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0111 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/011 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/014 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/031 Air
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0302 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/031 due to heat transfer
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/025 Breathing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0781 Diving equipments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 9/04 Recovery of thermal energy

Abstract

The invention in its preferred embodiment is a portable life support system for use in warm water diving providing temperature regulation and breathable atmosphere through cryogenic technology while maintaining neutral buoyancy and trim throughout zero-gravity simulation. The portable life support system comprises: a liquid cooled garment; an externally charged, positive expulsion dewar for storing and delivering liquid cryogen; means for circulating liquid cryogen from said dewar in heat exchange relation with the cooling liquid so as to cool the wearer of the garment and vaporize the liquid cryogen; and means forming a semi-closed breathing loop for delivering breathable gas obtained from the vaporized cryogen from said circulating means to the wearer of said garment for breathing purposes.

Claims

1. A portable life support system for underwater simulation of zero-gravity and low gravity activities, comprising:

a garment through which liquid coolant may be circulated to cool a wearer of the garment;

an externally charged, positive expulsion dewar for storing and delivering liquid cryogenic fluid while maintaining neutral bouyancy and trim;

means for circulating liquid cryogenic fluid expelled from said dewar in heat exchange relation with the liquid coolant so as to cool the wearer of the garment and vaporize the liquid cryogenic fluid; and

means forming a semi-closed breathing loop for delivering warmed, vaporized cryogen from said circulating means to the wearer of said garment for breathing purposes.

2. The portable life support system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging means comprises:

an insulated housing;

a loop for circulating the cooling liquid through the interior of the garment and the housing; and

means for circulating liquid cryogen through the housing intermediate the source and the delivering means.

3. The portable life support system of claim 1, wherein the dewar comprises:

a thermally insulated pressure vessel having a first port and a second port;

a piston having a forward side and an reverse side and sealably reciprocable in said pressure vessel in response to a force exerted on the forward side by the pressure of liquid cryogen received through the first port and a force exerted against the reverse side; and

means for supplying fluid to said piston through the second port at a pressure which exerts a force against the reverse side of said piston that is greater than the force exerted on the forward side.

4. The portable life support system of claim 3, wherein the supplying means comprises:

a source of gas under pressure, and

valving means for selectively charging the dewar with gas from the source.

5. The portable life support system of claim 3, wherein the supplying means comprises:

a source of liquid, and

pumping means for selectively charging the dewar with liquid from the source.