Safety Device and Inflating Apparatus Therefor

Abstract

A safety device including an article to be worn by a user and an inflatable bladder which is in use attached to the article. The safety device further includes an inflating apparatus for in use inflating the inflatable bladder with an inflating product. The inflating apparatus includes an inflating product compartment for storing the inflating product and a frangible valve for deterring flow of the inflating product from the inflating product compartment. An actuator is provided for rupturing the frangible valve thereby allowing inflating product to flow from the inflating product compartment to the inflatable bladder.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention concerns a safety device, particularly a safety device for keeping a user afloat in a body of water during an emergency situation. The invention further concerns an inflating apparatus for use in the safety device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]More than a million people die annually as a result of drowning. In the great majority of drowning incidents the victim had no intention of going into the water, but came to be in the water due to an accident, for example being swept from a pier by a large wave.[0003]As far as water recreational activities are concerned, cruising in small motorised boats rank high in the list of activities drowning victims were engaged in at the time of drowning. Such drowning incidents frequently occur as a result of boats capsizing or victims falling overboard after a collision with other boats or floating objects. Often victims are unable to reach their lifejackets or become exhausted from treading water before h...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a device that prevents inflating product from leaking out of its container. The device has a valve that can be opened to release the inflating product, but it is designed in a way that it cannot be closed again, which prevents any leaks. This prevents the inflating product from leaking out of the container and potentially damaging or contaminating the environment.

Problems solved by technology

Such drowning incidents frequently occur as a result of boats capsizing or victims falling overboard after a collision with other boats or floating objects.

Often victims are unable to reach their lifejackets or become exhausted from treading water before help arriving.

Typically swimmers caught in a rip current will find that they are unable to fight the current, with the result that they have no alternative but to stay afloat for a prolonged period of time while awaiting the arrival of help.

Victims of such currents, however, succumb when they become exhausted from treading water before any help can arrive.

A major danger associated with the sport of rock fishing is that of being swept by an unusually large wave while fishing from a rock platform.

The main problem confronting a fisherman swept to sea in such a situation is to stay afloat while searching for a suitable place from which to climb from the water.

Many fishermen, however, drown after becoming exhausted from having to tread water for an extended period of time without being able to reach a spot to climb from the water.

Those lifejackets are, however, cumbersome to wear and are not appropriate for recreational bathers swimming in the surf, or for persons engaging in a range of other types of water recreational activities.

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