US20080090476A1

US20080090476A1 - Flotation life vest

Info

Publication number: US20080090476A1
Application number: US11/581,547
Authority: US
Inventors: Ron Wayne Hamburg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-16
Filing date: 2006-10-16
Publication date: 2008-04-17

Abstract

The Flotation Life Vest described here is a personal flotation device (PFD) that is defined more as a Type III PFD (used by swimmers and non-swimmers alike), yet can demonstrate flotation or buoyant force high enough to be similiar to a Type I PFD. A noteworthy forty-seven (47) pounds of flotation is attained by displacing one-thousand, three-hundred and seventy-five (1,375) cubic inches of water with a vacuum-filled volume. The vest is not inflatable, so this flotation system is more streamlined for the wearer during swimming. The tube collar is zipper detachable, and this also reduces drag during swimming.

Both the aluminum buoyant cylinders in collar and the aluminum buoyant cells in vest are confined within neoprene and nylon mesh material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

“Not Applicable”

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

“Not Applicable”

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

“Not Applicable”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Flotation Life Vest is a hybrid flotation product and is related to a Type III PFD (Personal Flotation Device) life jacket that are required for all passengers in boats and ships at sea. It can be worn by swimmers or non-swimmers.
The life vest features a detachable tube collar that can be removed while swimming. The primary buoyancy is obtained by sixteen (16) hollow, aluminum, vacuum-filled cells and three (3) hollow aluminum, vacuum-filled cylinders that are held into position throughout vest by neoprene and nylon mesh material.
The buoyancy or flotation attained is forty-seven pounds (47 lbs.),with this combination and is more than twice as much as a Type I PFD of twenty-two pounds (22 lbs.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary the flotation life vest is an improvement in two (2) ways from the existing Type I PFD, Type II PFD and Type III PFD (personal flotation device).
First, this new vest offers the wearer forty-seven pounds (47 lbs.) of buoyant force or flotation. The Type I PFD, foam, allows for only twenty-two pounds (22 lbs.) of flotation while turning wearer face-up in the water. The Flotation life Vest can keep the wearer's face above water and this performance is comparable to the Type I PFD life vest.
Secondly, the tube-shaped collar affords eight pounds (8 lbs.) of flotation by itself, and in combination with the sixteen (16) aluminum vacuum-filled cells, the entire head of the wearer is above water even if they are unconscious during a prolonged rescue.
When the vest is worn by a swimmer, the detachable collar can be removed. Long periods of distance swimming can be accomplished for several hours or even days.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Here in these drawings, the Flotation Life Vest is depicted. The drawings show the front, side and back views of the life vest. The views show the buoyant aluminum cylinders in the vest collar and the buoyant aluminum cells held in nylon mesh and neoprene throughout the vest.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the vest, the components are: (1) are the buoyant aluminum cylinders positioned within the nylon mesh and neoprene vest collar. (2) the nylon mesh and neoprene vest material. (3) the aluminum cells that are vacuum-filled for buoyancy. (4) the front zipper closure. (5) the two (2) inch wide nylon strap that encircles the wearer at the chest level and to which “D” rings are fastened. (6) the two inch (2) wide nylon belt and buckle at the waist height of vest.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the vest the components are: (1) the collar buoyant aluminum cylinders covered with neoprene and nylon mesh. (2) the nylon mesh and neoprene vest material around arm opening. (3) the buoyant aluminum cells that are placed within vest material. (4) the plastic front zipper. (5) the two (2) inch wide nylon strap, buckle and “D” rings. (6) the two (2) inch wide nylon belt and buckle around the waist.

FIG. 3 is a back view of the life vest. (1) the buoyant aluminum cylinders covered with neoprene at the vest collar. (2) the vest neoprene and nylon mesh material. (3) the buoyant aluminum cells that are placed throughout vest. (5) the two (2) inch wide nylon chest strap. (6) the two (2) inch wide nylon waist belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Flotation Life Vest can be described as a neoprene and nylon vest with vacuum-filled aluminum cells confined within vest material. The neoprene and nylon mesh covered aluminum cylinders in vest collar can be removed with a zipper attachment process. The vest front has a full length center zipper closure for putting-on and removal of the vest. There is a two (2) inch wide belt and buckle with two (2) “D” rings (for rescue line attachment) that encircles the wearer at the chest height of vest. There is also a two (2) inch wide belt and buckle at the waist height of vest. These nylon belts insure vest stays on wearer and no tearing during high stress tension.
The main flotation components of the vest are the sixteen (16) seventy (70) cubic inch vacuum-filled aluminum cells and the three (3) eighty-five (85) cubic inch cylinders (in collar of vest) that are held in position with neoprene and nylon mesh material. The separate sections of this collar flex around the wearer's neck when vest is fully zippered closed. This combination of lighter-than-water displacement affords the wearer forty-seven (47) pounds of flotation or buoyant force.

Claims

1. claim is made to:

The invention of the improvement to Personal Flotation Devices, with said Flotation Life Vest garment, of which buoyancy is developed by vacuum-filled aluminum or titanium cells and cylinders and are confined by sewing into nylon and/or neoprene garment material. The minimum negative pressure of minus five (−5) PSIG vacuum that is contained within each cell and cylinder. The cells and cylinders fabricated from aluminum alloys Series 1000 to 7000, or titanium grade 1,2,3, or 4. The sheetmetal thicknesses from 0.005″ to 0.125″ inclusive of aluminum or titanium that is used to form the cells and cylinders. The cells and cylinders of said Flotation Life Vest is shown through empirical equation (B =pgV), to develop forty-seven (47) pounds of buoyancy by displacing water with a vacuum-filled one-thousand, three-hundred and seventy-five (1,375) cubic inch volume.