Combination inflator and manifold assembly

• US 7,056,179 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William L. Courtney
• Original Assignee: William L. Courtney
• Inventors: Courtney, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): AVILA, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US10/407,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20040002270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 441/12, 441/83, 441/345, 441/40, 441/90, 114/345
• US Class Current: 441/90
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/02 Audible
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2009/0094 Equipment comprising means for providing users with victuals or drinks
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2009/044 covered
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/0005 by means of alarm devices for persons falling into the water, e.g. by signalling, by controlling the propulsion or manoeuvring means of the boat alarms responsive to presence of persons in a body of water in general G08B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/02 Lifeboats, life-rafts or the like, specially adapted for life-saving floatable furniture B63C9/30; boats in general B63B; inflatable vessels B63B7/00; equipment for handling lifeboats or the like B63B23/00; rafts B63B35/58
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/04 Life-rafts
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/1255 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/18 Inflatable equipment characterised by the gas-generating or inflation device
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/20 characterised by signalling means, e.g. lights arrangement or adaptation of signalling or lighting devices for ships or other waterborne vessels B63B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/24 Arrangements of inflating valves or of controls thereof connecting inflating valves to elastic bodies B60C29/00

Abstract

A variable volume raft containing adjustable ratio and amounts of air and or water. The buoyancy and ballast of the raft are routinely adjusted to accommodate additional occupants and changing weather conditions. A manual pump can be the primary or back up source for initial inflation. The torque pump twisted by hand or amplified by a lever arm generates air pressure for maintenance and repairing deflating lacerations at sea. The pumps collector gathers and pressurizes rain water for drinking in one chamber while pressurizing sea water as a stabilizing ballast in another chamber. A double hull or full floor chamber allows huge variations in buoyancy or ballast as dictated by changing needs for stability versus mobility. A compressed liquid or two-part foam confers puncture resistance to a portion of the raft. A thrown self-righting manual air horn, worn water-activated air horns and water activated transmitted signals, mark the site for rescuers.

Claims

1. A combination inflator and manifold assembly, comprising:

a manifold having a body member, said manifold body member having a closed first outer end, a gas inlet opening and an open second end, said body member defining an internal passageway, said gas inlet opening in communication with said internal passageway, said manifold body member having a mounting flange for attachment to a bladder fabric;

an inflator having a body member, said inflator body member having an gas outlet opening, said inflator disposed over a stem portion of said manifold body member,

means for creating a seal between said inflator body member and said manifold body member;

means for securing said inflator body member to said manifold body member, and

means for properly aligning said inflator body member with said manifold body member when securing said inflator to said manifold;

wherein said means for creating a seal comprises a first o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a first side of said gas inlet passageway and a first corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway and a second o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a second side of said gas inlet passageway and a second corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway.

2. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 1 wherein said inflator body member comprises a first exterior annular groove located on the first corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway and a second exterior annular groove located on the second corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway, wherein said first o-ring is disposed within said first exterior annular groove and partially protrudes outward therefrom and said second o-ring is disposed within said second exterior annular groove and partially protrudes outward therefrom.

8. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 1 wherein only one position of said inflator body member on said manifold body member permits the shaped pattern on said base area to properly mate with the corresponding shaped bottom area of said inflator body member.

9. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 8 wherein said when said inflator body member is properly mated with said manifold body member said gas outlet passageway of said inflator body member is properly aligned with said gas inlet passageway of said manifold body member to permit a substantial portion of gas leaving said outlet passageway to enter said gas inlet passageway and into said internal passageway of said manifold body member and ultimately into an associated inflatable bladder.

14. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for securing is a locking ring or spring clip partially disposed within a recess on said inflator body member and partially disposed within an exterior annular groove disposed on said manifold body member approximate to the closed first end of said manifold body member.

3. A combination inflator and manifold assembly, comprising:

a manifold having a body member, said manifold body member having a closed first outer end, a gas inlet opening and an open second end, said body member defining an internal passageway, said gas inlet opening in communication with said internal passageway, said manifold body member having a mounting flange for attachment to a bladder fabric;

an inflator having a body member, said inflator body member having an gas outlet opening, said inflator disposed over a stem portion of said manifold body member,

means for creating a seal between said inflator body member and said manifold body member;

means for securing said inflator body member to said manifold body member, and

means for properly aligning said inflator body member with said manifold body member when securing said inflator to said manifold;

further comprising a check valve disposed within said internal passageway of said manifold body member approximate to the second open end of said manifold body member.

10. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 3 wherein only one position of said inflator body member on said manifold body member permits the shaped pattern on said base area to properly mate with the corresponding shaped bottom area of said inflator body member.

11. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 10 wherein said when said inflator body member is properly mated with said manifold body member said gas outlet passageway of said inflator body member is properly aligned with said gas inlet passageway of said manifold body member to permit a substantial portion of gas leaving said outlet passageway to enter said gas inlet passageway and into said internal passageway of said manifold body member and ultimately into an associated inflatable bladder.

15. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for securing is a locking ring or spring clip partially disposed within a recess on said inflator body member and partially disposed within an exterior annular groove disposed on said manifold body member approximate to the closed first end of said manifold body member.

17. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for creating a seal comprises a first o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a first side of said gas inlet passageway and a first corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway and a second o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a second side of said gas inlet passageway and a second corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway.

4. A combination inflator and manifold assembly, comprising:

a manifold having a body member, said manifold body member having a closed first outer end, a gas inlet opening and an open second end, said body member defining an internal passageway, said gas inlet opening in communication with said internal passageway, said manifold body member having a mounting flange for attachment to a bladder fabric;

an inflator having a body member, said inflator body member having an gas outlet opening, said inflator disposed over a stem portion of said manifold body member,

means for creating a seal between said inflator body member and said manifold body member;

means for securing said inflator body member to said manifold body member, and

means for properly aligning said inflator body member with said manifold body member when securing said inflator to said manifold;

wherein said means for securing is a locking ring or spring clip partially disposed within a recess on said inflator body member and partially disposed within an exterior annular groove disposed on said manifold body member approximate to the closed first end of said manifold body member.

12. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 4 wherein only one position of said inflator body member on said manifold body member permits the shaped pattern on said base area to properly mate with the corresponding shaped bottom area of said inflator body member.

13. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 12 wherein said when said inflator body member is properly mated with said manifold body member said gas outlet passageway of said inflator body member is properly aligned with said gas inlet passageway of said manifold body member to permit a substantial portion of gas leaving said outlet passageway to enter said gas inlet passageway and into said internal passageway of said manifold body member and ultimately into an associated inflatable bladder.

18. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 4 wherein said means for creating a seal comprises a first o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a first side of said gas inlet passageway and a first corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway and a second o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a second side of said gas inlet passageway and a second corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway.

5. A combination inflator and manifold assembly, comprising:

a manifold having a body member, said manifold body member having a closed first outer end, a gas inlet opening and an open second end, said body member defining an internal passageway, said gas inlet opening in communication with said internal passageway, said manifold body member having a mounting flange for attachment to a bladder fabric;

an inflator having a body member, said inflator body member having an gas outlet opening, said inflator disposed over a stem portion of said manifold body member,

means for creating a seal between said inflator body member and said manifold body member;

means for securing said inflator body member to said manifold body member, and

means for properly aligning said inflator body member with said manifold body member when securing said inflator to said manifold;

wherein said means for properly aligning said inflator body member with said manifold body member comprises a shaped pattern disposed at a base area of said manifold body member and a corresponding shaped bottom area of said inflator body member.

6. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 5 wherein only one position of said inflator body member on said manifold body member permits the shaped pattern on said base area to properly mate with the corresponding shaped bottom area of said inflator body member.

7. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 6 wherein said when said inflator body member is properly mated with said manifold body member said gas outlet passageway of said inflator body member is properly aligned with said gas inlet passageway of said manifold body member to permit a substantial portion of gas leaving said outlet passageway to enter said gas inlet passageway and into said internal passageway of said manifold body member and ultimately into an associated inflatable bladder.

16. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 5 wherein said means for securing is a locking ring or spring clip partially disposed within a recess on said inflator body member and partially disposed within an exterior annular groove disposed on said manifold body member approximate to the closed first end of said manifold body member.

19. The combination inflator and manifold assembly of claim 5 wherein said means for creating a seal comprises a first o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a first side of said gas inlet passageway and a first corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway and a second o-ring seal disposed between said inflator body member and said manifold body member on a second side of said gas inlet passageway and a second corresponding side of said gas outlet passageway.