Collapsible flotation device
AssigneeGray Matter Holdings, LLC
InventorDavid A. Arias
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible flotation device has an uncollapsed configuration and a collapsed configuration. The device includes a spring which is forced to coil in upon itself by folding to achieve the collapsed configuration of the device and which is biased towards the uncoiled configuration. The spring is located along the perimeter of the device in a pocket formed along the perimeter of a panel of flexible material or on the external perimeter of the device. Also located within the pocket are one or more inflation chambers which are inflated to provide buoyancy. Additional or alternate pockets which include inflatable chambers may be located in the central portion of the flexible panel.
Claims25
A collapsible device, comprising:
- a panel having a central portion and a perimeter sleeve, said panel being permeable to a liquid;
- a spring coupled substantially around the perimeter of the panel and moveable between a coiled and an uncoiled configuration, said spring being coiled while in a collapsed configuration and being uncoiled while in an expanded configuration;
- and
- an inflatable bladder disposed circumferentially about, and being encapsulated within, at least a portion of said perimeter sleeve, said inflatable bladder configured to support a body weight of a user disposed on the panel.
A collapsible floatation device, comprising:
- a panel having a central portion and a perimeter portion;
- a coilable spring coupled substantially around the perimeter of the panel, said spring being coiled while in a collapsed configuration and being uncoiled while in an expanded configuration;
- and
- an inflatable bladder disposed circumferentially about, and being coupled to, the panel and configured to support a body weight of a user disposed on the panel.
A collapsible device, comprising:
- a panel having a central portion and a perimeter sleeve;
- a coilable spring coupled substantially around the perimeter of the panel, said spring being coiled while in a collapsed configuration and being uncoiled while in an expanded configuration;
- and
- an inflatable bladder disposed circumferentially about, and being encapsulated within, at least a portion of said perimeter sleeve.
A collapsible device, comprising:
- a panel having a central portion and a perimeter sleeve;
- a coilable spring coupled substantially around the perimeter of said panel, said spring being coiled while in a collapsed configuration and being uncoiled while in an expanded configuration;
- and
- a plurality of inflatable bladders disposed circumferentially about, and being encapsulated within, at least a portion of said perimeter sleeve, the plurality of inflatable bladders include a first inflatable bladder and a second inflatable bladder being disposed on opposite sides of the panel.
A device, comprising:
- a panel having a central portion and a perimeter sleeve;
- a spring moveable between a coiled configuration and an uncoiled configuration, said spring disposed within at least a portion of said perimeter sleeve and coupled substantially around the perimeter of said panel such that said panel is collapsed when said spring is in the coiled configuration and said panel is expanded when said spring is in the uncoiled configuration;
- and
- an inflatable bladder disposed circumferentially about, and extending substantially throughout, said perimeter sleeve.
A device, comprising:
- a spring configured to form a closed loop, the spring being moveable between a coiled configuration when the spring is collapsed and an uncoiled configuration when the spring is expanded, the spring defining an interior area within at least a portion of the closed loop when the spring is in the uncoiled configuration;
- and
- an inflatable bladder coupled to said spring and being disposed circumferentially within said interior area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.