Actuator for inflation device
OwnerBrian Joseph Stasey, Mark A. Gummininventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflation device is provided including a shell, a pin, a restraining element, and a barrier. The shell may be coupled to an inflation canister. The pin is positioned within the shell in order to open a seal of the inflation canister. The restraining element is positioned within the shell and is positioned to prevent the pin from opening the seal of the inflation canister. The restraining element is dissolvable. The barrier is positioned within the shell. The barrier includes a fluid resistant skin and a heating element coupled to the fluid resistant skin. The heating element may open a portion of the barrier responsive to an electrical current running through the heating element.
Claims20
An inflation device comprising:
- a shell adapted to be coupled to an inflation canister;
- a pin positioned within the shell adapted to open a seal of the inflation canister;
- a restraining element positioned within the shell and arranged to prevent the pin from opening the seal of the inflation canister, wherein the restraining element is dissolvable;
- and
- a barrier positioned within the shell comprising a fluid resistant skin and a heating element coupled to the fluid resistant skin, wherein the barrier is adapted to prevent the restraining element from dissolving and wherein the heating element is adapted to open the barrier responsive to an electrical energy sent to the heating element.
A restraining element adapted to regulate inflation of an inflation device, the restraining element comprising:
- a body comprising a dissolvable material;
- a barrier enclosing at least a portion of the body, wherein the barrier comprises a fluid resistant skin adapted to prevent the body from dissolving;
- and
- a heating element coupled to the fluid resistant skin, wherein the heating element is adapted to open the barrier responsive to an electrical energy sent through the heating element.
A method of activating an inflation device comprising an inflation canister, a shell coupled to the inflation canister, a pin positioned within the shell, the pin adapted to open a seal of the inflation canister, a dissolvable restraining element positioned within the shell and adapted to prevent the pin from opening the seal of the inflation canister, a barrier adapted to prevent the restraining element from dissolving, and a heating element coupled to the barrier, the method comprising:
- supplying an electrical energy to the heating element;
- opening the barrier by heat generated from electrical resistance within the heating element;
- at least partially dissolving the restraining element;
- and
- allowing the pin to open the seal of the inflation canister.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.