Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Flotation device
The invention relates to a flotation device, which comprises one
or several compartments essentially bounded by covering material
or the like and containing buoyant par~ic'e-like, e.g. granular,
material. The above described flotation d~vice can be in the ~orm
of a life jacket, such as a so-called boat jacke~ or flotation
jacket, a flotation cushion or mattress or arly survival device
intended to protect the user from drowning.
Flotation devices of various types are known. For example, in
li~e ~ackets, a gas or foamed cellular plastics such as cellular
polystyrene serves as material lighter than water. Life jackets
made of foamed cellular polystyrene or a similar substance
particularly are inconvenient to use, because they are not
elastic, and this drawback becomes considerable at least in those
parts which contain the aforementioned cellular polystyrene shaped
as a block filling up the whole space of the compartment. It can
be noted in general, that a life jacket is always put on in the
hope that it will be never needed for its proper purpose. When
the life jacket is on, the user ofken performs various operations
which require unhindered movements e.g. in sailing, in hunting and
in fishing, generally in all operations on the water. The
aforementioned life jackets are not satisfactory in this respect
and the use of these jackets restricts the mobility of the user
and also various activities.
On the other hand, US-patent 2,6~g,116 discloses a life jac~et
comprising several compartments, which are filled with cork
fragments surrounded by a covering fabric. The aforementioned
compartments are only i~tended to support the neck of the user in
rescue situations. These compartments are packed relatively
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tightly with the cork fragments, and the compartments do not take
the shape of the body of the user. The main purpose of these
devices is only to serve as the collar porkion of a life jacket.
This invention provides a new flotation device, which has various
advantages in comparison with previous devices. For realizing
this purpose the floating device according to the invention is
mainly characterized in that the buoyant particle-like material is
loose and the total volume of the particle-like material within
each compartment is substantially less than the volume of the
compartment containing the material. This feature allows the
compartments of the flotation device to take the shape of the body
of the user in every situation and also to respond quickly in
shape according to the movements of the user. This advantageous
feature becomes apparent when the aforementioned structure is used
e.g. in life jackets. When a life jacket having the structure in
accordance with the invention is put on, it fits very well to the
shape of the body of the user and it can be pressed tightly
against the body. The use of the life jacket as warm clothing is
thus possible and it can be put under outdoor clothing. It should
also be noted, that good thermal insulation properties of survival
clothing is a very important factor in rescue situations, in
particular in a cold climate.
Other advantageous features of the invention will become apparent
in the following description.
In the following, the in~ention is described more closely with
reference to the accompanying drawing, which presents an
embodiment of the invention used in connection with a so-called
boat jacket. In the drawing
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Fig. 1 is a front Vi2w of the boat jacket worn by a user,
Fig. 2 is a back view of ~he boat jacket worn by a user and
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2.
The boat jacket presented in the drawing haa no sleeves and it can
be opened at the front. It is fastened to the body with belts or
straps 1 and 2, which are secured to the jacket by means of pieces
3, which are sewn on the jacket and allow the belt to slip between
them and the jacket. The belts can be tightened by means of
buckles 4.
According to the invention, the jacket is divided into
compartments. The covering matexial is a woven fabric or similar
suitable material. The material is treated with flame
retardants. The jacket is formed of fabric cut into the shape of
the jacket and sewn together at the edges with sewn reinforcing
portions along the edges. Further the fabrics are sewn together
along sewing lines in intermediate portions. Each compartment is
partially filled with loose particles of granular material M which
is lighter than water.
As shown in Fig. 1, front portions 5, 6 of the jacket each
comprise two compartments 01 and 02, which are formed by sewing
the fabric together along horizontal sewing lines 7. As shown in
Fig. ~, the back portion 8 comprises four compartments 03-06,
which have been formed by sewing the material kogether along
intersecting sewing lines, namely a vertical sewing line 9 and a
horizontal sewing line 10. In the side of the ~acket there is no
granular material, according to conventional structure for a boat
jacket~. The lower compartments 05 and 06 are bounded at their
sides by sewing lines 11 and 12, along which ~he fabric is sewn
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together. All compartments are bounded at the edges of the jacket
by elongate reinforcing portions 13. Reinforcing portions 13 are
positioned also on the sides of the jacket between the front and
back portions.
The granular material can be e.g. of cellular polystyrene,
polyurethane or corresponding foamed plastics. Fig.3 shows the
structure of the boat jacket as a cross sectional view along line
III-III of Fig.2. The inner wall 14 and the outer wall 15 of the
covering material together with reinforcing edge portions 13 and
the intermediate sewings outline the compartments 0~ and 06, which
contain granular material M. Because the loose particle-like
granular material only partially fills compartments 04 and 06, the
boat jacket fits the body of the user with comfort and takes its
shape according to the shape of the body and thus lies tight
against the body. The boat jacket can therefore change shape
quickly with the movements of the user. Due to the aforementioned
properties the jacket is also warm.
A flotation jacket can be made in accordance with the principle
described hereinabove using compartments so that the jacket
comprises a neck compartment and a side compartment disposed on
the left side of the body, both containing granular material.
This kind of flotation jacket maintains an unconscious person in a
position lying on the person's side, the left side upward and the
head supported by the neck compartment, thus preventing the person
from drowning.
Because the jacket is provided with several compartments, the
jacket does not lose its flotation properties, even if some
compartments are damaged and emptied.
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It will be understood that various modifications of the inv0ntion
are possible. The jacket can be provided also with various means
for securing the jack0t on the body. For example, a zipper can be
disposed along the reinforcing portions 13 bekween the front
portions S and 6.
EXAMPLE
An embodiment of the jacket applicable in practice comprises a
covering fabric of 100% polyamide treated with a flame retardant
and the granular material is cellular polystyrene consisting of
spherical particles having a diameter of 2 to 8 mm. The granular
material fills 60 to 80% of the volume of the compartments. The
material of the belts can be nylon and the fastening means can be
made of suitable plastic material The cellular polystyrene has
been subjected to fire resistant treatment. The jacket has eight
compartments and the volume of the granular material can alter
between 10 and 20 ia)according to the load capacity of the jacket.
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