Freediving Safety Apparatus
AssigneeOceanic Safety Systems LLC Attn: Terry Maas
InventorsSheri Gayle Daye, Henry Martyn Bissell, Jason R. Bush, Terry L. Maas, David Sipperly, Robert Fairchild, Peter Madnick, Kenneth J. Samel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for use in the activity of freediving, providing the freediver with increased safety and protection in the event of Shallow Water Blackout, incapacitating hypoxia, or other emergency occurring in or under the water, while providing greater reliability of functioning, and comfort of wearing during the activity of freediving.
Claims27
An inflatable buoyancy apparatus, wearable by a user engaging in freediving, for providing buoyancy under predetermined circumstances, said apparatus comprising:
- a refillable inflation source for containing compressed gas;
- a buoyancy portion having an inflatable portion operably connected to and adapted for receiving the contents of said inflation source;
- actuator means disposed between said inflation source and said buoyancy portion for releasing the contents of said inflation source and employing a plurality of sensors for providing data regarding selected parameters,
- control means in operable communication with said actuator means:
- for programming and storing of selected data values defining emergency buoyancy circumstances, for identifying occurrences of pre-defined emergency buoyancy circumstances, and
- for communicating with said actuator means;
- at least one power supply in operable communication with said actuator means and said control means, and
- a wearable harness providing,
- secure retention of the apparatus when worn by a user,
- releasable restraint of said buoyancy portion prior to inflation, and
- retention of said inflation source and said actuator means.
A freediving safety apparatus for providing emergency buoyancy to a user-freediver under predetermined circumstances, said apparatus comprising:
- an inflation source for containing compressed gas;
- an inflatable buoyancy portion operably connected to said inflation source;
- an actuator portion interposed between said inflation source and said inflatable buoyancy portion, for enabling inflation of said buoyancy portion by releasing compressed gas contained in said inflation source upon determination of the occurrence of predetermined selectable circumstances defining an emergency inflation condition;
- control means, in operable communication with said actuator portion, for monitoring selected parameters and identifying and communicating circumstances appropriate for emergency inflation of said apparatus in accordance with programmed values, and
- harness means adapted to selectively retain said inflation source, said inflatable buoyancy portion and said actuator portion.
Freediving safety apparatus for transport by a freediver during an underwater dive, said apparatus comprising:
- an inflation source in the form of a container for carrying a supply of compressed gas;
- a buoyancy portion in the form of a flotation device coupled to said container for inflation from said container upon the occurrence of one or more selected events;
- a plurality of sensors which are individually responsive to the occurrence of corresponding ones of said selected events;
- and
- valve means coupled between said container and said flotation device for controlling the transfer of gas to said flotation device;
- said valve means being responsive to an activating signal from a sensor signaling the occurrence of one of said selected events in order to inflate said flotation device to bring the freediver to the surface of the water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.