Watersports inflation vest

An inflatable device, comprising:

• a vest;
• a gas pressure source;
• and
• a bladder, wherein
• the gas pressure source is coupled to the bladder to selectively deliver gas to the bladder to pressurize the bladder;
• the vest is coupled to the bladder to hold the bladder in place relative to a wearer's chest;
• the bladder has an inverted V shape having an apex and arms extending from the apex, with the apex of the inverted V being positioned at an intermediate point on the wearer's sternum and extending to the lower portion of the wearer's sternum, the arms of the inverted V shape extending downwardly and outwardly from the apex of the inverted V shape to substantially follow the contour of the wearer's ribcage, and wherein
• the user's stomach area below the sternum is not substantially covered by an inflatable portion.

A method of inflating and deflating an inflatable device in a wearable garment, the method comprising:

• in response to actuating a first inflate trigger, delivering a discrete amount of pressurized gas into a bladder secured to the wearable garment, wherein the garment holds the bladder in position relative to a wearer's body and the bladder has a wishbone shape substantially matching the wearer's ribcage;
• in response to actuating a second inflate trigger, delivering a discrete amount of pressurized gas into the bladder;
• and
• in response to actuating a release trigger, releasing a discrete amount of the pressurized gas from the bladder, wherein the first inflate trigger can be actuated before or after the second inflate trigger is actuated, and wherein the release valve can be actuated after the first inflate trigger is actuated, after the second actuation trigger is actuated, or after both the first and second inflate triggers are actuated.

An inflatable, wearable device, comprising:

• an inflatable bladder;
• a pressurized gas chamber coupled to the inflatable bladder, wherein the gas within the pressurized gas chamber is separate from breathable air available to a wearer;
• an inflate trigger operably coupled to the pressurized gas chamber, wherein operating the inflate trigger causes the pressurized gas chamber to deliver at least a portion of the gas within the pressurized gas chamber into the inflatable bladder;
• a deflate trigger operably coupled to the inflatable bladder, wherein operating the deflate trigger permits at least a portion of the gas to escape the inflatable bladder;
• and
• a body engaging portion coupled to the inflatable bladder and configured to secure the inflatable device to the wearer's body,
• wherein a first operation of the inflate trigger causes the pressurized gas chamber to deliver at least a portion of the gas within the pressurized gas chamber into the inflatable bladder and a second operation of the inflate trigger causes the pressurized gas chamber to deliver another portion of the gas within the pressurized gas chamber into the inflatable bladder.

An inflatable, wearable device, comprising:

• an inflatable bladder;
• a pressurized gas chamber coupled to the inflatable bladder, wherein the gas within the pressurized gas chamber is separate from breathable air available to a wearer;
• an inflate trigger operably coupled to the pressurized gas chamber, wherein operating the inflate trigger causes the pressurized gas chamber to deliver at least a portion of the gas within the pressurized gas chamber into the inflatable bladder;
• a deflate trigger operably coupled to the inflatable bladder, wherein operating the deflate trigger permits at least a portion of the gas to escape the inflatable bladder;
• and
• a body engaging portion coupled to the inflatable bladder and configured to secure the inflatable device to the wearer's body,
• wherein the inflatable bladder has an asymmetric shape that includes a first surface adjacent to the wearer's chest and an opposing second surface, wherein the inflatable bladder is configured and arranged such that when inflated, the first surface remains substantially flat along the wearer's chest and the opposing second surface expands against an environmental pressure.

An inflatable, wearable device, comprising:

• an inflatable bladder;
• a first pressurized gas chamber coupled to the inflatable bladder;
• an inflate trigger operably coupled to the first pressurized gas chamber, wherein a first operation of the inflate trigger causes the first pressurized gas chamber to empty at least a portion of the first gas chamber and deliver the portion of gas within the first pressurized gas chamber into the inflatable bladder;
• a deflate trigger operably coupled to the inflatable bladder, wherein operating the deflate trigger permits at least a portion of the gas to escape the inflatable bladder;
• a body engaging portion coupled to the inflatable bladder and configured to secure the inflatable device to a wearer's body;
• and
• a second pressurized gas chamber coupled to the inflate bladder,
• wherein the inflate trigger is operably coupled to the second pressurized gas chamber, and wherein subsequent to the first operation of the inflate trigger and a first operation of the deflate trigger, a second operation of the inflate trigger causes the second pressurized gas chamber to deliver at least a portion of the gas within the second pressurized gas chamber into the inflatable bladder.