AU2005202690B2 - Inflatable life-saving device - Google Patents

Description

1 INFLATABLE LIFE-SAVING DEVICE Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inflatable life-saving device that includes an inflatable bladder and a pressurized air container which is activated by the user to inflate s the bladder when in emergency in water. Background of the Invention A conventional life-saving device, especially for those used for providing a floatable device such that the user can float in the water in emergency situation. In order to encourage the users to carry the life-saving device with them, most of the life-save io devices are manufactured to be impact and light in weight. However, the inflation process to the floatable bladder involves a complicated mechanism which includes lots of parts so that it requires higher manufacturing cost to minimize these parts and install these parts in a small space. Most of the bladder is enclosed in a casing so that it needs a certain period of time to be completely inflated and the period of time is deemed to be too long for an 15 emergent situation. Furthermore, the conventional lift-saving devices are not convenient to be carried so that users tend not to carry it. There is a need to provide a life-saving device that can be worn on the wrists and is easily to operate, the inflatable bladder can be inflated within a short period of time. Object of the Invention 20 It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to at least provide a useful alternative. Summary of the Invention There is firstly disclosed herein a life-saving device comprising: 25 a fixing member and a case pivotably connected to an end of the fixing member, a connection member received in the case and a pressurized air container connected to the connection member, an inflatable bladder connected to and in communication with the connection member, the fixing member having a chamber for receiving the inflatable bladder, and 30 an activation device pivotably connected to the fixing member so as to activate the container to inflate the inflatable bladder; the chamber is an open chamber and a receiving portion is defined along a periphery of the chamber; the case has a ridge and which is engaged with a slot defined in the fixing 35 member, a port is defined in an end of the case so that an end of the container is inserted in the port.

-2 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view to show the life-saving device of an embodiment of 5 the present invention is attached to a user's wrist; Fig. 2 is an exploded view to show the life-saving device of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the life-saving device of an embodiment of the present invention; 10 Fig. 4 shows the bladder is connected to the connection portion of the connection member and to be received in the case, and Fig. 5 shows that the inflatable bladder is inflated. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the life-saving device of the present invention is comprises a fixing member 10 which is attached to a user's wrist by a fastening assembly 70 and includes chamber 11 which includes an opening 110. A case 20 is pivotably connected to two lugs 12 on an end of the fixing member 10 by a pin 13 and the other end of the case 20 has a ridge 21 which is engaged with a slot 14 defined in the fixing member 10. A port 22 is defined in an end of the case 20 so that an end of the container 40 is 20 inserted in the port 22. The fixing member 10 includes a plurality of cut-outs 16 so that it is light in weight. A connection member 30 is received in the case 20 and includes a threaded receiving port 31 so that a threaded connection end 41 of the container 40 is threadedly engaged with the receiving port 31. A connection portion 33 extends from an underside of 25 the connection member 30 so as to be connected to an inlet 51 of an inflatable bladder 50. The inflatable bladder 50 can be received in the chamber 11 and the periphery of the folded body 52 of the bladder 50 can be positioned by a positioning portion 111 defined in a periphery of the chamber 11. An adjustment hole 34 is defined in a top of the connection member 30 and an 30 adjustment member 35 is movably engaged with the adjustment hole 34. The adjustment hole 34 is a threaded hole and the adjustment member 35 includes an outer threaded periphery 350 which is threadedly engaged with the adjustment hole 34. A through hole 352 is defined radially through the adjustment member 35 and a tip end 353 is defined in -3 a lower end of the adjustment member 35. The tip end 353 is movably inserted in the connection portion 33 to adjust the size of the gap defined between the tip end 353 and the connection portion 33. A passage 32 is defined in the connection member 30 and in communication with the connection portion 33 and the adjustment hole 34. The 5 adjustment member 35 has an engaging recess 351 such as a straight slot or a Phillips recess so that a tool such as a screw driver can be engaged with the engaging recess 351 to rotate the adjustment member 35. An activation device 60 is pivotably connected to the fixing member 10 so as to activate the container 40 to inflate the inflatable bladder 50. The activation device 60 10 includes a U-shaped pivotable member 61 which is pivotably connected to the lugs 12 on the fixing member 10 and the pivotal position is different from that for the case 20. A needle 62 is connected to the pivotable member 61 and includes a plurality of seals 621 on a guide section 622 so that the needle 62 is air-tightly and movably inserted in the passage 32 in the connection member 30. The tip section 623 of the needle 62 is is connected to the guide section 622 and is located corresponding to a seal 410 of the container 40. The case 20 has a display member 80 such as a watch or compass located on a top thereof and a cap 81 is mounted to the case 20 and has a window 810 through which the display member 80 is seen. The cap 81 has snap members 811 so that it is easily to be 20 secured to the case 20. The fastening assembly 70 includes two connection parts 15 on two ends of the fixing member 10 and one of the connection parts 15 has a fastening member 71 connected thereto. The other connection part 15 includes a toothed surface 72. The fastening member 71 includes a separation rod 710 and a protrusion 711 is connected to 25 an inside of the fastening member 71 and located close to two sides of the separation rod 710. A soft pad 73 can be attached to an inside of the fixing member 10 so that the user feel comfortable when wearing the device to his or her wrist. As shown in Fig. 5, when using the lift-saving device, simply pivoting the case 20 about the pin 13, because the pivotal positions of the pivotable member 61 and the 30 case 20 are different, so that the needle 623 is moved to penetrate through the seal 410 of the container 40 and the pressurized air enters the bladder 50 via the connection portion 33 and the inlet 51. The inflatable bladder 50 is inflated immediately as shown. Different lengths of the fastening assembly 70 are easily to be installed to the device so as to meet different type of use.

-4 The bladder 50 is received in the open chamber 11 so that when pivoting the case 20, it is easily to be pulled out from the chamber 11 and inflated within a very short period of time. The flat bladder 50 is easily received in the open chamber 11. While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the 5 present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (8)

1. A life-saving device comprising: a fixing member and a case pivotably connected to an end of the fixing member, a connection member received in the case and a pressurized air container connected to the 5 connection member, an inflatable bladder connected to and in communication with the connection member, the fixing member having a chamber for receiving the inflatable bladder, and an activation device pivotably connected to the fixing member so as to activate the container to inflate the inflatable bladder; 10 the chamber is an open chamber and a receiving portion is defined along a periphery of the chamber; the case has a ridge and which is engaged with a slot defined in the fixing member, a port is defined in an end of the case so that an end of the container is inserted in the port. Is

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection member includes a receiving port for being engaged with the container and a passage is defined in the connection member, the needle is inserted into the passage.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection member has an adjustment hole and an adjustment member is movably engaged with the adjustment 20 hole, a through hole is defined radially through the adjustment member and a tip end is defined in a lower end of the adjustment member.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the adjustment hole is a threaded hole and the adjustment member includes an outer threaded periphery which is threadedly engaged with the adjustment hole. 25

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening assembly includes two connection parts on two ends of the fixing member and one of the connection parts has a fastening member connected thereto, the other connection part includes a toothed surface, the fastening member includes a separation rod and a protrusion is connected to an inside of the fastening member and located close to two 30 sides of the separation rod. 6

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing member includes a plurality of cut-outs.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the case has a display member located on a top thereof. 5

8. A life saving device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 15 March, 2011 Ever-Quick Co., Ltd. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person 10 SPRUSON & FERGUSON