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US 5,382,184 AGranted
Personal flotation device in the form of an inflatable belt
OwnerMario P. DiForte, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A personal flotation device comprises an elongate member for encircling the waist of the user and a belt for securing together its end portions. The member includes buoyancy portions adapted to be disposed substantially at the sides and front of the user, thereby to cause the user to be positioned in a face-up and laid-back position in the water.
Claims19
A personal flotation device, comprising:
- a) an elongate member for encircling the waist of the user including intermediate and end portions, said intermediate portion being non-buoyant;
- b) a buckle for securing together said end portions;
- c) said member including an upper elongate inflatable chamber and first and second lower buoyancy chambers;
- and
- d) said first and second lower buoyancy portions being spaced apart from each at said intermediate portion such that said first and second lower buoyancy portions are disposed substantially at the sides and front of the user, thereby to cause the user to be positioned in a face-up and laid-back position in the water.
2 more elements
A personal flotation device, comprising:
- a) an elongate member for encircling the waist of a user, said member having intermediate and end portions;
- b) a belt operably secured to said member and a buckle for removably securing the ends of said belt;
- c) said member including an upper elongate inflatable chamber and first and second lower buoyancy portions;
- d) said inflatable chamber when uninflated being adapted to be folded over said first and second lower buoyancy portions;
- e) said first and second lower buoyancy portions being spaced apart from each other at said intermediate portion;
- f) said first and second lower buoyancy portions being inflatable;
- and
- g) said member including passageways communicating between said inflatable chamber and said first and second lower buoyancy portions.
5 more elements
A personal flotation device for wearing around the waist of a user in the manner of a belt, comprising:
- a) first and second elongate opposed sheets of flexible materials;
- b) said sheets being together along their perimeter edges and intermediate the width of said sheets, thereby dividing said sheets into upper and lower portions;
- c) said upper portion including an inflatable chamber:
- d) said lower portion including first and second buoyancy chambers for being disposed substantially at the sides and front of the user's waist area;
- e) said upper portion when uninflated being adapted to be folded over said lower portion;
- f) a belt for securing said device around the waist of the user;
- g) said first and second sheets being joined together in said lower portion to form said first and second buoyancy chambers;
- and
- h) first and second inherently buoyant materially being disposed in said first and second buoyancy chambers, respectively.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.