U.S. patent application number 12/606689 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-28 for water-activated life jacket safety device.
Invention is credited to Anthony M. Pirie.
Application Number | 20110097952 12/606689 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43898829 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110097952 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pirie; Anthony M. |
April 28, 2011 |
Water-Activated Life Jacket Safety Device
Abstract
A device that can be permanently (or temporarily) attached to
the back of a life jacket that deploys a staff or rod which sticks
up high enough above the floater's head as to make them readily
visible in the water. This staff or rod is generally
water-activated in the sense that it is made of highly buoyant
material that is forced upward out of a tube attached to the back
of the jacket when in the water, and falls back down in the tube
when out of the water. The staff can be brightly colored and can
optionally hold a flag or other device to further increase
visibility. The staff and/or flag can also have reflective portions
for visibility at night.
Inventors: |
Pirie; Anthony M.; (Crest
Hill, IL) |
Family ID: |
43898829 |
Appl. No.: |
12/606689 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
441/89 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63C 9/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
441/89 |
International
Class: |
B63C 9/20 20060101
B63C009/20 |
Claims
1. A life jacket safety device comprising: a tube at least
partially open at both ends vertically attachable to a life jacket;
a buoyant staff in said tube of thickness smaller than said tube's
inside diameter, said staff engaging a lower stop when said life
jacket is out of water and engaging an upper stop when said life
jacket is in water; wherein, when said life jacket enters the
water, said staff buoyantly deploys upward from said tube acting as
a visibility enhancing device above said life jacket.
2. The life jacket safety device of claim 1 further comprising a
pennant or flag on a top end of said staff.
3. The life jacket safety device of claim 2 wherein said pennant or
flag includes a light reflective portion.
4. The life jacket safety device of claim 1 wherein said staff is
made of a foamed plastic.
5. The life jacket safety device of claim 1 wherein said tube is
made of PVC.
6. The life jacket safety device of claim 1 wherein said tube is
strapped to the back of said life jacket.
7. A life jacket safety device comprising: a first member
attachable to a life jacket; a buoyant second member that slides in
or along said first member; wherein said second member is buoyantly
pushed up above said life jacket when said life jacket enters water
enhancing visibility.
8. The life jacket safety device of claim 7 further comprising a
pennant or flag on a top end of said second member.
9. The life jacket safety device of claim 8 wherein said pennant or
flag includes a light reflective portion.
10. The life jacket safety device of claim 7 wherein said second
member is made of a foamed plastic.
11. The life jacket safety device of claim 7 wherein said first
member is made of PVC.
12. The life jacket safety device of claim 7 wherein said first
member is a hollow tube.
13. A life jacket visibility enhancing device comprising: a
vertical plastic tube attachable to the back of a life jacket at an
approximate centerline; said tube containing a highly buoyant
plastic rod resting on a bottom stop in said tube; wherein, said
rod is buoyantly deployed vertically by water until said rod
engages a top stop in said tube, said rod being pushed vertically
above said life jacket along said centerline.
14. The life jacket visibility enhancing device of claim 13 wherein
said tube is PVC and said rod is a durable plastic foam
material.
15. The life jacket visibility enhancing device of claim 13 wherein
said rod has a flag or pennant at its top.
16. The life jacket visibility enhancing device of claim 13 wherein
said rod is brightly colored.
17. The life jacket visibility enhancing device of claim 15 wherein
said flag or said rod includes at least some reflective material.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to life jackets and
more particularly to a life jacket safety device that is
water-activated.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Life jackets (or life vests) are a required safety item on
all boats. In some areas, children are required to wear them at all
times on boats. Life jackets may also be worn by children or adults
while swimming or near the water. A problem with conventional life
jackets is visibility--a person generally floats in a life jacket
with only the head above water. If there is any kind of swell, it
may be impossible or very difficult to see the child or other
person wearing the jacket in the water, especially from water
level. This is because regulation life jackets are floated so that
the person floats upright in the water with usually only the head
above water. In particular, life jackets are floated to prevent a
presentation where the person is on their stomach (which could put
the face under the water). Even though most life jackets are
brightly colored, they are still very difficult to see from a
distance since almost all of the jacket is underwater.
[0005] Some prior art devices have had attached balloons such as
U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,390 and D388,493. A disadvantage of this is
that the balloon is generally stored in a pocket in the jacket and
only inflates when pulled out. A child cannot be counted on to pull
out the balloon if they accidentally fall in the water.
[0006] Some prior art units use an inflatable bladder to stick up
to a higher level to provide visibility such as in US application
2004/0157513. However, again, the floater has to activate the
bladder to assume this position.
[0007] It would be advantageous to have a device that would deploy
automatically from a life jacket that would be water-activated and
would increase the visibility of the floating person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a device that can be
permanently (or temporarily) attached to the back of a life jacket
that deploys a staff or rod which sticks up high enough above the
floater's head as to make them readily visible in the water. This
staff or rod is generally water-activated in the sense that it is
made of highly buoyant material that is forced upward out of a tube
attached to the back of the jacket when in the water, and falls
back down in the tube when out of the water. The staff can be
brightly colored and can optionally hold a flag or other device to
further increase visibility. The staff and/or flag can also have
reflective portions for visibility at night.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0009] Attention is now called to the following illustrations that
aid in understanding the features of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 1A shows the front of an embodiment of the present
invention out of the water.
[0011] FIG. 1B shows the back of the device from FIG. 1A
[0012] FIG. 2A shows the front of the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1B
when in the water.
[0013] FIG. 2B shows the back of the configuration of FIG. 2A.
[0014] FIG. 3A shows a cross section of an embodiment of the device
out of the water.
[0015] FIG. 3B shows a cross section of the embodiment of FIG. 3A
in the water.
[0016] While several drawings and illustrations have been
presented, it should be understood that the scope of the present
invention is not limited to what is shown in the figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention generally relates to a device that can
be sewed, taped or otherwise attached to the back of a life jacket
that will give the person wearing the jacket more visibility in the
water.
[0018] FIGS. 1A-1B show a particular embodiment of the present
invention out of the water, while FIGS. 2A-2B show the same
embodiment in the water. An elongated hollow tube 4 open on the
bottom can be attached to the back of a life jacket 1 with
attachment devices 5 that can be straps, sewing, tape, hook/loop
material or any other way of attaching the device to the life
jacket. The jacket can use standard straps 2 and buckles 3.
[0019] A staff 6, made of highly buoyant material, resides in the
tube 4. When out of the water, the staff 6 falls onto a stop in the
bottom of the tube 4. When in the water, water enters the bottom of
the tube 4 and pushes the buoyant staff 6 upward until it hits a
second stop. In this position, the staff 6 is extending upward
above the head of the floating person wearing the jacket. A
foldable flag or pennant 7 can optionally be attached to the top of
the staff 6. Both the staff 6 and the flag 7 can be brightly
colored to enhance visibility. They can optionally contain
reflective material 11 (or be made of reflective material) for
reflective visibility at night.
[0020] When the jacket leaves the water, or is out of the water,
the staff 6 falls back into the tube 4 under its own weight to
assume an undeployed position. The flag or pennant can also simply
slip into the tube 4.
[0021] FIGS. 3A-3B show a cross-section of an embodiment of the
present invention. The hollow tube 4 is open top and bottom. The
staff 6 is contained in the tube 4. A flag 7 can be attached to the
staff 6 and optionally folded in the tube 4. The tube 4 also
contains a stop 8 at its bottom end that can engage a stop 9 on the
staff 6 to prevent the staff 6 from falling out of the open bottom
of the tube 4. Any kind of stops and any method or technique of
keeping the staff from falling out of the tube is within the scope
of the present invention including a constriction in the tube 4.
The tube 4 also contains an upper stop 10 that can engage the stop
9 (or other stop) on the staff 6 when in the water. This prevents
the staff 6 from leaving the tube 4 when deployed. Again, any
method or technique for keeping the staff 6 in the tube 4 including
a constriction in the tube 4 or an enlarged section on the staff 6
is within the scope of the present invention.
[0022] The device functions as follows: When out of the water the
staff 6 and flag 7 are in the tube 4 and held there by gravity as
shown in FIGS. 1A, 2A and 3A. Thus when the wearer is in a boat,
the staff 6 is undeployed. The stop 9 rests against the stop 8
which keeps the staff 6 from falling out of the bottom of the tube
4. If the person falls in the water (or otherwise enters the
water), water rushes in the bottom of the tube 4 and pushes the
highly buoyant staff 6 upward above the head of the person as shown
in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3B. The flag 7, if present, deploys. The stop 9
on the staff 6 then engages the upper stop 10 on the tube. This
prevents the staff 6 from leaving the upper end of the tube 4.
[0023] While the embodiments presented have generally used a tube
with a rod inside; any configuration of two members is within the
scope of the present invention as long as one of the members is
pushed upward along or in the other member by buoyant force when
the device enters the water.
[0024] The preferred material for the tube 4 is a PVC or other
durable plastic; however, any durable material can be used. The
preferred material for the staff 6 is a dense polystyrene foam
(Styrofoam.TM.) that is highly buoyant; however, any strong buoyant
material may be used, including any foamed plastic. As previously
stated, the staff can be brightly colored such as yellow, orange or
other visible color. The reflective markers 11 on the flag 7 can be
aluminum, reflective paint or other highly reflective material.
Reflective markers can also be placed on the staff 6.
[0025] Several descriptions and illustrations have been presented
to aid in understanding the present invention. One skilled in the
art will realize that numerous changes and variations can be made
without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of these
changes and variations is within the scope of the present
invention.
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