Rescue device and method

• US 5,582,127 A
• Filed: 04/07/1994
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lee Willis
• Original Assignee: Lee Willis
• Inventors: Ganaja, Scott, Willis, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HIRSHFELD, ANDREW HOWARD
• Application Number:
  US08/224,260
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 116/210, 116/DIG.9, 116/DIG.8, 244/31, 244/33, 244/98, 40/214, 446/220, 446/221, 446/222, 446/223, 446/224, 446/225, 446/226, 441/9, 441/30, 441/93, 441/94, 222/5
• US Class Current: 116/210
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/23 Containers for inflatable life-saving equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/40 Balloons B64B1/58 takes precedence; toy balloons A63H27/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/08 Inflatable indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/09 Balloons

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and device 10 for marking an individual'"'"'s location to facilitate rescue. The method comprises the step of removing a cover member or cap 24 of the device 10 which contains an inflatable balloon 40 to open a valve 28 of a cylinder 18 containing a pressurized, lighter than air gas which inflates a balloon 40, so that the balloon rises in the atmosphere. The balloon 40 is tied to one end of a line 48 that has another end attached to the device 10. Thus, the balloon 40 travels upward a distance essentially equal to the length of the line 48, hovering overhead to identify the individual'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A rescue device that marks an individual'"'"'s location, comprising:

a deflated balloon having a self-sealing inflation port, said balloon having a center line, opposed faces, opposed lateral sides, and opposed ends and being generally flat when deflated, with the inflation port being nearby one of said ends of the balloon, said center line connecting said opposed ends;

each of said lateral sides being rolled inward against one of said faces and towards the center line so that said balloon is a partially rolled balloon, which is then rolled inward from the end opposed to the inflation port, towards the inflation port, so that said balloon is a completely rolled balloon;

an inflator valve in communication with the inflation port of the completely rolled balloon;

a container which holds a pressurized, lighter than air gas, said container having an outlet port in communication with the inflator valve, said inflator valve upon being opened causing the lighter than air gas to enter the completely rolled balloon to inflate the balloon;

a housing which encloses the container, the inflator valve, and the completely rolled balloon, said housing having an open end covered by a removable cover member;

a secured line of predetermined length for securing the balloon upon inflation to the device, said line having one end attached to the balloon; and

a valve actuator connected to the cover member so that, upon removal of the cover member from the housing, the valve actuator opens the inflator valve causing the lighter than air gas to enter the completely rolled balloon to inflate the balloon, which exits the housing solely under the pressure of the lighter than air gas.

2. The rescue device of claim 1 where the inflator valve includes

a valve body having a passageway placing the outlet port of the container in communication with the inflation port of the balloon;

a pierceable member sealing the outlet port of the container; and

a piercing element near the pierceable member;

said valve actuator engaging the piercing element upon removal of the cover member to force the piercing element to puncture the pierceable member, so that the gas in the container flows through the passageway into the inflation port of the balloon to inflate the balloon.

3. The rescue device of claim 2 where the valve body includes

a stem member into which the passageway extends, said stem member extending into the inflation port of the balloon, and

a releasable clamping member holding the balloon to the stem member until gas is forced under pressure through the inflation port of the balloon into the balloon to fill the balloon and release the clamping member, so that the balloon rises in the atmosphere, with the line preventing separation of the balloon, the weight of the device being sufficient so that the balloon rises to a maximum distance essentially equal to the length of the line.

4. The rescue device of claim 1 where the cover member has a pull ring to remove the cover member from the housing and a pull cord that connects the cover member to the valve actuator.

5. The rescue device of claim 1 including a wrist strap attached to the housing.

6. The rescue device of claim 1 where the line has a length of from about 50 feet to about 500 feet.

7. A rescue device that marks an individual'"'"'s location, comprising:

a deflated balloon having a self-sealing inflation port, said balloon having a center line, opposed faces, opposed lateral sides, and opposed ends and being generally flat when deflated, with the inflation port being nearby one of said ends of the balloon, said center line connecting said opposed ends;

each of said lateral sides being rolled inward against one of said faces and towards the center line so that said balloon is a partially rolled balloon, which is then rolled inward from the end opposed to the inflation port, towards the inflation port, so that said balloon is a completely rolled balloon;

an inflator valve in communication with the inflation port of the completely rolled balloon;

a rotatable member attached to the inflator valve, said rotatable member having a line of predetermined length wound thereon, said line having one end attached to the balloon and a different end attached to the rotatable member;

a container which holds a pressurized, lighter than air gas, said container having an outlet port in communication with the inflator valve, said inflator valve having a valve body including;

a stem member extending into the inflation port of the balloon, and

a releasable clamping member holding the balloon to the stem member;

a housing enclosing the container, the inflator valve, the rotatable member, and the completely rolled balloon, said housing including a removable cover member;

said inflator valve further including;

a piercable member sealing the container;

a piercing element near the piercable member; and

a valve actuator connected to the cover member by a pull cord so that, upon removal of the cover member from the housing, the pull cord moves the valve actuator into the piercing element, which forces the piercing element to puncture the piercable member, so that the lighter than air gas flows through the stem member and into the inflation port of the completely rolled balloon to inflate the balloon and release the clamping member from the balloon, said balloon exiting the housing solely under the pressure of the lighter than air gas, with the line keeping the balloon attached to the rotatable member, the weight of the device being sufficient so that the balloon only rises a distance essentially equal to the length of the line, said cover member having a pull ring for removing the cover member from the housing.

8. A method for marking an individual'"'"'s location to facilitate rescue, comprising the steps of:

providing a deflated, generally flat balloon having a self sealing inflation port nearby a first end of the balloon, said balloon having a center line, opposed faces, opposed lateral sides, and a second end opposed to said first end, said center line connecting said first end and said second end;

rolling each of said lateral sides inward against one of said faces and towards the center so that said balloon is a partially rolled balloon;

rolling the second end of the partially rolled balloon towards the first end so that said balloon is a completely rolled balloon;

attaching said inflation port to a valve of a container, the container having therein a pressurized, lighter than air gas;

attaching a line to said completely rolled balloon and also to said device;

enclosing said completely rolled balloon and said container within a housing, said housing having a removable cover attached thereto, said removable cover being connected to said valve of said container wherein removal of said cover results in opening of said valve; and

removing said cover from said housing to open said valve of the container, said removing step causing inflation of said balloon and release of said balloon from the housing, the line preventing detachment of the balloon and the housing.