Safety, rescue, and recovery apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A safety and rescue apparatus attachable to a limb of a user comprising:
- an inflatable bladder generally shaped as a hollow cylinder having, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal passageway extending between the first end and the second end, the longitudinal passageway having a cross-sectional opening sized to receive the limb of the user in either the first end or the second end;
a protective covering substantially surrounding the inflatable bladder;
a self-contained inflation system including;
at least one gas canister containing a compressed gas;
an inflator assembly comprising a recess corresponding to an end surface of the gas canister, a plunger located in an interior space of the inflator assembly having a tip positioned opposite the end surface of the gas canister engaged with the recess, and an activation system coupled to the plunger to advance the tip into contact with the end surface to release the compressed gas into the interior space of the inflator assembly to compressively attach the safety and rescue apparatus to the limb of the user;
a manual inflation assembly fluidly coupled with the interior space of the inflatable bladder;
a pressure relief valve fluidly coupled with the interior space that automatically releases compressed gas from the inflatable bladder if a pre-determined maximum pressure is exceeded; and
an elongated handle with first and second ends attached to the protective covering, the elongated handle offset from the protective covering to provide a sliding attachment point for a rescue rope that automatically reduces torque applied to the limb of the user regardless of the orientation of the safety and rescue apparatus relative to the user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A safety, rescue, and recovery device that compressively secures to a limb of a user when inflated. The device can be easily adjusted to be negatively buoyant, neutrally buoyant, or positively buoyant before inflation depending on whether the application is safety, rescue, or recovery. The device may also be integrated into an article of clothing for certain applications. An elongated handle is attached to the device to provide a sliding attachment point for a rescue rope that automatically reduces torque applied to the limb of the user. Consequently, a rescue force applied to the rescue rope can act at a variety of angles along an arc relative to the device.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A safety and rescue apparatus attachable to a limb of a user comprising:
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an inflatable bladder generally shaped as a hollow cylinder having, a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal passageway extending between the first end and the second end, the longitudinal passageway having a cross-sectional opening sized to receive the limb of the user in either the first end or the second end; a protective covering substantially surrounding the inflatable bladder; a self-contained inflation system including; at least one gas canister containing a compressed gas; an inflator assembly comprising a recess corresponding to an end surface of the gas canister, a plunger located in an interior space of the inflator assembly having a tip positioned opposite the end surface of the gas canister engaged with the recess, and an activation system coupled to the plunger to advance the tip into contact with the end surface to release the compressed gas into the interior space of the inflator assembly to compressively attach the safety and rescue apparatus to the limb of the user; a manual inflation assembly fluidly coupled with the interior space of the inflatable bladder; a pressure relief valve fluidly coupled with the interior space that automatically releases compressed gas from the inflatable bladder if a pre-determined maximum pressure is exceeded; and an elongated handle with first and second ends attached to the protective covering, the elongated handle offset from the protective covering to provide a sliding attachment point for a rescue rope that automatically reduces torque applied to the limb of the user regardless of the orientation of the safety and rescue apparatus relative to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A recovery apparatus attachable to a limb of a user comprising:
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a protective covering generally shaped as a hollow cylinder having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal passageway extending between the first end and the second end, the longitudinal passageway having a cross-sectional opening sized to receive the limb of the user in either the first end or the second end; an inflatable bladder located within the protective covering; stiffening members retaining the protective covering in a generally cylindrical shape; a self-contained inflation system including; at least one gas canister containing a compressed gas and including an end surface; an inflator assembly comprising a recess corresponding to the end surface of the gas canister, a plunger located in an interior space of the inflator assembly having a tip positioned opposite the end surface of the gas canister engaged with the recess, and an activation system coupled to the plunger to advance the tip into contact with the end surface to release the compressed gas into the interior space of the inflator assembly to compressively attach the safety and rescue apparatus to the limb of the user; a pressure relief valve fluidly coupled with the interior space that automatically releases compressed gas from the inflatable bladder if a pre-determined maximum pressure is exceeded; and an elongated handle with first and second ends attached to the protective covering, the elongated handle offset from the protective covering to provide a sliding attachment point for a rescue rope regardless of the orientation of the recovery apparatus relative to the user; wherein the recovery apparatus is neutrally or negatively buoyant before the compressed gas is released from the gas canister.
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19. A method of using safety and rescue apparatus attachable to a limb of a user, the method comprising the steps of:
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positioning the limb of the user in a longitudinal passageway of a protective covering, the protective covering having a shape generally as a hollow cylinder with a first end and a second end at opposite ends of the longitudinal passageway in either the first end or the second end; activating a self-contained inflation system that releases a compressed gas from a gas canister to inflate an inflatable bladder contained in the protective covering, the inflated bladder compressively attaching the safety and rescue apparatus to the limb of the user; attaching a line to an elongated handle that is attached to the protective covering, the elongated handle offset from the protective covering to provide a sliding attachment point for a rescue rope; and applying tension to the line to retrieve the user, the sliding attachment point permitting the user to rotate relative to a tension axis of the line during retrieval rope to automatically reduce torque applied to the limb of the user regardless of the orientation of the safety and rescue apparatus relative to the user. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification