U.S. patent application number 10/212521 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-05 for inflatable multi-wall multi-cell spheroidal shell life raft.
Invention is credited to Warriner, Gerald E..
Application Number | 20040023571 10/212521 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31187786 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040023571 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Warriner, Gerald E. |
February 5, 2004 |
Inflatable multi-wall multi-cell spheroidal shell life raft
Abstract
The invention is an air-inflatable multi-wall multi-cell
spheroidal-shell life raft that forms a shelter for occupants and
that includes removable window covers to allow cross ventilation
when desired and that is constructed of one or more
air-or-gas-inflatable cells and/or air-or-gas-inflatable panels and
contains an internal water-inflatable ballast tank located below an
air-or-gas-inflated multi-cell floor cushion centered in the lowest
point of the spheroidal shell thus providing the tank with the
lowest center of gravity available within the shell. Key features
new to the art are the inflatable spheroidal shape of the shell
that forms the shelter enclosure, the water-inflatable internal
ballast tank and the relationship of the shell to the ballast tank
that insures that the raft will not capsize when occupants and
their belongings are equally distributed within the raft.
Inventors: |
Warriner, Gerald E.; (West
Melbourne, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GERALD E. WARRINER
9037-H York Lane
West Melbourne
FL
32904
US
|
Family ID: |
31187786 |
Appl. No.: |
10/212521 |
Filed: |
August 5, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
441/37 ; 441/38;
441/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63C 9/06 20130101; B63C
2009/042 20130101; B63C 2009/023 20130101; B63B 1/047 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
441/37 ; 441/38;
441/40 |
International
Class: |
B63B 035/58 |
Claims
I claim as my invention;
1. An air-or-gas-inflatable multi-wall multi-cell spheroidal-shell
life raft consisting of air-or-gas-inflated cells and/or
air-or-gas-inflated panels joined together to create a spheroidal
exterior shell that encloses an interior space thereby providing
shelter for one or more occupants and thereby protecting them from
exposure to the elements such as hot or cold air, excessive
sunshine and glare, high winds, rough waves and/or heavy
precipitation. (Key word: `spheroidal`, meaning any of an unlimited
number of geometric shapes that enclose a volume, such as a sphere
shaped like a ping pong ball, a spheroid shaped like an egg or an
elliptical spheroid such as a capsule.) (Key phrase:
`air-or-gas-inflatable multi-wall multi-cell spheroidal shell`)
2. A life raft as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inflatable
multi-wall multi-cell shell contains cells that have mechanical
ties and separators and/or internal baffles that are secured to the
opposing shell walls to separate and/or hold the cell walls and
panel walls in place thereby providing air-or-gas-inflatable
chambers.
3. A life raft as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inflatable
multi-wall multi-cell shell is constructed from injection molded
cells and/or panels.
4. A life raft as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein there is
included a water-inflatable internal ballast tank located and
centered in the lowest point within the spheroidal shell thus
providing the tank with the lowest center of gravity available
within the shell. (Key word: `internal`) (Key phrase:
`water-inflatable internal ballast tank`)
5. A life raft as claimed in claims 1 through 4 wherein the shell
wall and the internal ballast act simultaneously in conjunction
with each other to create a life raft with spheroidal buoyancy
above and below the waterline and internal water-ballast below the
waterline thereby rendering the raft incapable of excessive
rolling, tipping and/or capsizing when the occupants and their
belongings are equally distributed within the life raft. (Key word:
`simultaneously`) (Key phrase: `act simultaneously in conjunction
with each other`)
6. A life raft as claimed in claims 1 through 5 wherein is included
sequential inflation that is begun manually by triggering inflation
of the upper shell, the floor cushion, the lower shell and the
ballast tank in that order and whereby completion of each sequence
triggers the next sequence by dislodging a pin in an inflation
device common to the inflatable raft industry. Inflation of the
lower shell produces a vacuum in the ballast tank and that vacuum
draws water into the tank through a one-way bladder valve. (In this
instance, the raft would be inflated on the water's surface.
7. A life raft as claimed in claims 1 through 6 wherein is included
a pump, manual or electric with battery or manual generator that
will provide air inflation for buoyancy for inflatable cells and
panels and/or a vacuum to draw in additional water into the ballast
tank.
8. A life raft as claimed in claims 1 through 7 wherein multiple
looped straps located around the top-cap opening are connected to
allow a crane to lift the raft from a vessel's deck or other
platform and place it on the water's surface. (In this instance,
the ballast would be filled only with air until the raft is placed
upon the water where the ballast may be filled with water.)
9. A life raft as claimed in claims 1 through 8 wherein seatbelts
are installed for use in inclement weather.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELVPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LIST, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING
COMPACT DISC APPENDIX
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The patent class definition for rafts is class 441/35 and
there are 112 patents listed on the USPTO website under that
classification, none of which addresses the claims under this
application.
[0005] There are 76 patents listed under subclass 441/38 "With
shelter" that falls under class 441/35, but U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,905
(expired, 1994) is the only one that contains a claim that is
somewhat similar to claim 1 of this application. U.S. Pat. No.
4,001,905 contains a "hemispherical" dome-like enclosure whereas
this application contains a "spheroidal" globe-like enclosure, the
difference being a half-sphere enclosure vs. a full-sphere
enclosure.
[0006] The field of endeavor to which the invention submitted in
this application pertains is best described as relating to U.S.
Patent Classifications 441/35 "Raft", 441/38 "With shelter" and
441/40 "Inflatable".
[0007] The invention related to this application has an inflatable
multi-wall multi-cell spheroidal shell that forms an enclosed
shelter and an internal water-inflatable ballast tank that work in
conjunction with each other to render the raft incapable of
capsizing.
[0008] Prior art, as evidenced by the below-listed patents, does
not claim an inflatable multi-wall multi-cell spheroidal shell
shelter or an internal water-inflatable ballast tank.
[0009] Referenced patents are; U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,688, U.S. Pat.
No. 5,919,068, U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,225, U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,158,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,258, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,569, U.S. Pat. No.
3,058,127, U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,854 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,900.
[0010] Patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,228 is classified U.S. 114/345
and 441/40.
[0011] Patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,569 is classified U.S. 114/349,
114/125, 441/37 and D12/316.
[0012] All other patents listed are classified U.S. 441/38 with
various other sub-classes and all are inflatable and use tarpaulins
as shelter except U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,569 that has a semi-rigid
canopy.
[0013] All of the above-listed rafts are subject to excessive
rolling, tipping and/or capsizing thereby promoting possible
injuries and death to occupants
[0014] Tarpaulins used as shelter provide little insulation against
extremely cold weather and they are subject to damage caused by
high winds and heavy seas.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The invention is an air-inflatable multi-wall multi-cell
spheroidal shell life raft that is constructed of one or more
inflatable cells and/or inflatable panels that form an enclosed
air-insulated shelter for occupants. Perimeter windows with
removable covers allow cross ventilation when desired and the raft
contains an internal water-inflatable ballast tank that enhances
stability.
[0016] Key features are the air inflatable spheroidal shape of the
shell, the water-inflatable internal ballast tank and the
relationship of the shell to the ballast tank.
[0017] Unlike prior art, the raft resists rolling and tipping and
will not capsize when occupants and their belongings are equally
distributed within the enclosure. Rolling, tipping and capsizing
has caused injuries and deaths in the past and this new art resists
such occurrences.
[0018] Also unlike prior art, the air space in the multi-wall of
the spheroidal shell provides enhanced insulation against extremely
cold weather. Prior art that uses tarpaulins as shelters does not
sufficiently protect occupants from extreme cold weather.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Two drawings, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, are included in these
specifications of this Non-provisional Patent Application.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the raft from above that shows the
horizontal perimeter shell wall, the locations of windows that
penetrate the wall and act as access and egress portals, the
circular floor cushion and the internal ballast (dotted line) that
is centered beneath the floor cushion of the raft,
[0021] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section view from the side of the
raft that shows the vertical perimeter shell wall, the locations of
windows that penetrate the wall and act as access and egress
portals, the floor cushion and the internal ballast that is
centered beneath the floor cushion of the raft,
[0022] The drawings illustrate that the invention relating to this
application is comprised of an air-or-gas-inflated multi-wall,
multi-cell and/or multi-panel spheroidal shell 1, with mechanical
ties and separators 2, panel joints 3, and with window openings 4;
air-or-gas-inflated multi-cell removable window covers 5; an
internal water-inflated ballast tank 6 & 7; an
air-or-gas-inflated multi-cell floor cushion 8; and an
air-or-gas-inflated multi-cell top-hatch 9; all of which are
constructed and/or manufactured by hand and/or by machines
utilizing methods and materials that are normal to the production
of air-or-gas-inflated rafts that are classified by the United
States Patent and Trademark Office as Class 441/35 "Rafts" and
441/40 "Inflated". Miscellaneous items and accessories normal to
raft construction may be installed, but they are not listed, as
they are not pertinent to this application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Prior art inflatable rafts rely on tubular floatation
elements that provide buoyancy to support raft occupants and their
belongings, tarpaulin canopies to provide limited protection from
the elements and suspended weights and/or sacks as ballast to
provide limited stability.
[0024] Absolute proof that prior art is woefully inadequate to
perform the functions required to protect raft occupants from
possible injuries and/or death lies in the fact that a significant
percentage of inflatable rafts, referred to as `self-righting`
and/or `reversible`, are designed in expectancy of capsizing.
Rolling, tipping and capsizing causes occupants and their
belongings to be thrown about the raft thereby resulting in
collisions that produce injuries and some times deaths.
[0025] The new art of this invention essentially solves the
problems associated with prior art by utilizing inflatable
multi-wall and multi-cell technology in the form of a buoyant
spheroidal shell that is efficiently positioned to work in
conjunction with an internal water-inflatable ballast tank that is
also efficiently positioned to insure elimination of the
possibility of capsizing. This symbiotic relationship works in the
following manner.
[0026] When a force such as that produced by winds or waves is
applied to the exterior surface of the raft, three events take
place;
[0027] 1) The effects of wind and/or water forces are dispersed and
therefore reduced because of the spheroidal shape of the raft;
[0028] 2) The increased buoyancy of the inflated upper shell acts
as a fulcrum about the center of the raft to hold the top of the
raft up; and
[0029] 3) The water-inflated ballast tank acts as a fulcrum about
the center of the raft to hold the bottom of the raft down.
[0030] Additionally, the shell enclosure provides an air-insulated
shelter that protects the raft's occupants from exposure to the
elements such as hot or cold air, excessive sunshine and glare,
high winds, rough waves and/or heavy precipitation. Perimeter
windows with removable covers allow cross ventilation when desired
and the inflation of the raft is begun manually to trigger
sequential inflation of the upper shell, the floor cushion, the
lower shell and the ballast tank in that order.
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