Patent Application
20080311805
This invention was not federally sponsored.
This invention is directed toward a device which provides buoyancy to objects with negative buoyancy in water. The invention comprises several embodiments of a basic idea: to have a water-sensitive trigger which, when activated, allows water to flood an enclosed container, which causes a balloon to inflate, thereby floating an object to the surface of a body of water. One embodiment has a water-soluble bobbin dissolve upon contact with water, thereby allowing a spring to pus a canister of compressed gas into a sharp syringe which punctures the canister and directs the compressed gas into a balloon, which expands, thereby causing the object to float upon the surface where the user can then easily and safely retrieve it. A second embodiment has a water-activated trigger open a closed container which has at least one substance in it which, when mixed with water, creates bubbles, which are directed into a balloon. There are a number of variable characteristics, including canister size, trigger fuse length, balloon configuration, and housing material that allow a user tremendous flexibility in selecting a proper size of the invention for the user's intended purpose. Other embodiments of the invention provide breathing air for underwater purposes, means of floating sunken objects with holds, such as boats, and means of keeping cars, boats, airplanes, etc. floating when they fall into water.
One of the major problems facing boaters is the fact that there are many important objects on a boat which sink if dropped into the water. Common examples include keys, sunglasses, windlass cranks, and ropes. Once an object such as these, or any other object with negative buoyancy in water, falls into water it will sink. In many cases, should the object be important, or, as in the case of keys to a boat's engine, essential to the safety of the excursion, the loss of an object will have catastrophic consequences.
Thus, there has existed for as long as humans have used boats on the water a need for a device which allows negatively buoyant objects to float on the water until the object can be retrieved.
The prior has several examples of attempts to resolve this problem. The most common is a plastic float which is usually attached to the negatively buoyant object by means of a keychain, such that if the object is dropped overboard the object will float. These floats, however, because they do not enlarge in size and volume with compressed air, must be large enough to float and object. Thus, as a practical matter they are limited to small objects such as keys; a plastic float large enough to keep a windless crank above water would have to be so large that it would be impractical to keep one attached to the windlass crank at all times.
Thus there has existed a long-felt need for a device which allows a user to attach a small, inexpensive, and lightweight device to a negatively buoyant object such that the object will not sink when it falls in water. The current invention provides just such a solution by having a device which provides buoyancy to objects with negative buoyancy in water. The invention comprises a water-sensitive trigger which, when activated, causes a compressed gas to exit a canister and enter a balloon, which expands, thereby causing the object to float upon the surface where the user can then easily and safely retrieve it. There are a number of variable characteristics, including canister size, trigger fuse length, balloon configuration, and housing material that allow a user tremendous flexibility in selecting a proper size of the invention for the user's intended purpose.
Another common problem relating to water occurs when a car, truck, airplane, helicopter, train, or boat fills with water and sinks. Recovering sunken objects such as these is extremely difficult, as the object, in addition to its substantial weight in metal and other negatively buoyant materials, has the additional weight of the water which fills each compartment, or hold, of the object. The main method by which sunken objects such as these are recovered is to attach a strong line to the sunken object, then try to lift the object back to the surface of whatever ocean, river, or lake it sunk into.
Thus, there has also existed a long-felt need for a device and method by which a large sunken object with holds can be brought back to the surface. The current invention provides such a solution by teaching an inflation device with a “long” fuse time and a tough balloon. One or more of the invention can be inserted into the sunken object's hold or holds, either by SCUBA divers, submersibles, or remote control roving vehicles, and the long fuse allows sufficient time for the invention to be inserted. When the water finally eats through the long fuse, triggering the release of compressed gas, or delaying the access time it takes for water to reach a substance or substances which when mixed with water produce bubbles, the balloon expands and fills the hold, pushing out water and replacing the neutrally buoyant water with positively buoyant gas. If enough of the inflation devices are placed in the holds, eventually enough water will be forced out of the object and enough uncompressed gas will be trapped by the balloons inside the sunken object such that the object begins to float up to the surface on its own.
Another embodiment of the invention calls for the invention to be manufactured such that it can be installed as part of the original manufacture in cars, trucks, helicopters, airplanes, trains, and boats, or retrofitted into existing objects, where the invention is located in all of the holds of a particular object. The purpose of the invention in this embodiment is to provide a means of filling the holds before the water can completely fill the holds, and expelling that water which has already entered, thereby preventing the object from sinking.
For example, in an airplane the inventions could be positioned on the bottom of the cargo holds. If an airplane has to perform an emergency landing on a body of water, some water may begin to seep through into the cargo hold. Upon reaching the triggering devices, the water will set off the inflation process in which large balloons will very quickly fill to capacity, taking up all available space in the cargo holds and expelling the water that is already there. This would keep the airplane afloat for at least enough time for the passengers to evacuate safely.
Another example would be boats with holds. Had the Titanic had one of the inventions in each hold, the five holds which were initially damaged by the iceberg would have quickly been filled with a balloon rather than water, thereby, possibly keeping the boat afloat and at the very least given the passengers enough time to disembark safely. The invention is equally applicable to smaller boats, such as 20′-30′ sailboats, which have at least several holds that could be effectively turned into flotation chambers by the invention.
A final problem that has plagued many water sports enthusiasts is the basic fact that humans do not have gills. As such, when a human is kept underwater for longer than a couple of minutes, the human usually dies. In sports such as SCUBA diving, kayaking, and big wave surfing, such submersions happen occasionally. Another embodiment of the invention provides breathing air for underwater purposes. In this embodiment, the canister contains compressed air, suitable for breathing. The trigger can be depth-sensitive or pressure-sensitive such that the inflation mechanism is triggered when the user exceeds a certain depth or has enough water on top of him/her that the triggering mechanism actives the inflation mechanism at certain pressures. The trigger can also have a variable length of fuse such that if a user has been submerged for a certain period of time, the trigger mechanism is eaten through by the water and the balloon is inflated, thereby carrying the user to the surface of the water.
A further trigger mechanism involves a small sponge which is compressed against the interior wall of the canister by a lever arm of a latch. Rather than relying upon the pressure of an expanding balloon to open the end cap, this triggering mechanism relies up the natural tendency of a dry, compressed sponge to absorb water and expand. The canister, when used with a sponge trigger, requires one or more holes in the canister to allow water into the canister when the invention is submerged into water. As the sponge absorbs the water, it expands rapidly and substantially, pushing out on the lever arm that has compressed it against the interior wall of the canister. As the lever arm is forced away from the interior wall of the canister, a latch at the end of the lever arm is dislodged from a locking point on the end cap. The lever arm is the sole means by which the end cap remains fixed over the open end of the canister, so when the lever arm is dislodged, it releases the end cap. The end cap can be constructed with or without a coiled spring at its pivot point of attachment to the top of the canister, such that with a coiled spring the end cap pops open on its own; without the spring the end cap is merely released so that the expanding balloon can open the end cap as it expands.
The canister can be manufactured in one, two, or three pieces. There are advantages and disadvantages to each design. With a one-piece canister, there is less likelihood that the means of connection between the various parts will malfunction, but it will be more difficult to insert all the various pieces of the apparatus (plunger, spring, canister, syringe, etc.) in the correct order. With a multi-piece canister, it will be easier to assemble—as at least the canister and bobbin have to be replaced after every use—but there is some danger that the screw threads or whatever other means of attachment there exists between the various section of the canister will become corroded, jammed with debris, or suffer from some other problem or malfunction.
Looking specifically at the “one-piece” canister, that is, a canister that is one unit comprising a hollow cylinder with one solid end and one open end, where an end cap is hingably attached to the open end, there are other ways to design what is basically a container made from two parts. It is possible to design the canister such that rather than being a cylinder which is considerably longer than its diameter, with an open end into which the various components of the invention can be inserted, that the container (referring to the combination of the canister and the end cap), can be manufactured to achieve the exact same desired means—namely an enclosing container that springs open when a certain amount of water or water at a certain pressure infiltrates the canister—by omitting the end cap and producing a canister manufactured in two mating halves. In this configuration, the two canister halves would be connected at the bottom by a hinge, and at the top by the lever, such that once the sponge expanded, it would allow the two halves to separate. The separation could be accomplished by either allowing the balloon to fill with the compressed gas, thereby forcing the two halves apart as the balloon expanded, or by positioning a spring in between the two halves such that the two halves were under constant pressure to separate, and the lever releasing from the lock would allow the spring for forcibly move the two halves apart.
Canister shapes other then a simple cylinder are envisioned. Indeed, just about any shape that could be made from two mating portions could accomplish the same result as the basic cylinder referred to in the bulk of this application. For example, nautically themed containers such as stylized wheels, treasure chests or sails could be manufactured so that the device would fit in with the boat and lifestyle of the owner.
It is also possible to use substances other than compressed air to create the lift necessary to bring the device to which the invention is attached back to the surface. It is well known that there are a number of substances which together, or in combination with other substances, will produce bubbles when mixed with each other or with water. The invention also contemplates that the gas to fill the balloon could be generated by a single substance combined with water, or two or more substances combined with water. A further version of the invention provides a mechanism by which two or more substances which when combined with each other produce gas and the incoming water that percolates through the holes in the canister dissolves a bobbin in between the two or more substances, thereby allowing them to mix and produce bubbles.
The embodiments of the invention which use substances rather than compressed gas could be manufactured in all the various embodiments of the container configurations, including the cylindrical container in one or multiple parts connected to an end cap, or the container with two mating halves without an end cap.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide a mechanism by which a user of the invention can attach an inflatable buoyancy device with a water-triggering mechanism to an object, such as car keys, windlass cranks, or sunglass cases, which would normally sink into water, such that if the object was dropped into water, such as off a boat, the water would trigger the inflatable buoyancy device to inflate, thereby keeping the object at the surface of the water where it could be retrieved by the user.
It is another object of the invention that the inflation apparatus of the invention function with any compressed gas, including by not limited to air, carbon dioxide, helium, and nitrogen.
It is also an object of this invention that the inflatable unit can emit an alarm, sound (sonar pulse), Radio Frequency (RF) signals, audio signals, or other signals that could be tracked or traced by satellite or other means of tracking and tracing.
Another object of this invention is that the unit can, upon being triggered by immersion in water or any of the other possible triggering events, emit a light from a gas or laser (which is the excitement of a solid, liquid or gas) or be coated with a glow-in-the-dark substance which is activated upon triggering.
It is also an object of this invention that the unit can function to trigger responses from the dinoflagellates most commonly know as the organisms responsible for “Red Tides”, such that the area surrounding the unit, upon triggering, becomes phosphorescent, thereby allowing the unit to be seen more easily or be detected by a sensor designed to detect dinoflagellate activity.
It is an additional object of the invention that the housing of the invention can be made from metal, plastic, wood, fiberglass, carbon fiber, treated paper, treated cardboard, rubber, resin, cement, and infused alloys.
It is a further object of the invention that the parts of the housing fit together using a wide variety of devices, including screw threads, snaps, zippers, Velcro®, glue, water-soluble glue and other water-soluble means of attachment, all types of materials that could be welded, slip fit attachments, compression and expansion fitted products, press fit, rivets, locking/interlocking, twist or turn-locking mechanisms, and vacuum forming devices.
It is also an object of this invention that the invention be manufactured in a wide range of sizes, with a wide range of inflation capacities, such a user can find an inflatable buoyancy device for virtually any item the user wishes to protect from sinking.
It is another object of the invention that the gas canisters which provide the flotation be readily exchangeable, such that a user can carry several backup canisters so that if the invention is used once, the user can exchange a full canister for the spent canister, thereby using the invention over and over again during one trip out over the water.
It is an additional object of the invention that the canisters can be manufactured with a wide variety of company logos and other advertising features such that they can be used for on-site promotional uses.
It is a further object of the invention that the fuse, or bobbin, portion of the invention can be manufactured with a wide variety of “fuse times”, such that a user can select how long he/she wants to object to remain in the water before the inflation mechanism is triggered.
It is also an object of this invention that the invention be manufactured such that it either fit into a personal flotation device, or could be manufactured as part of a personal flotation device, so that when a user wearing such a PFD fell into the water, the inflation device would be triggered, thereby giving the user additional flotation.
It is another object of the invention that the trigger could be pressure-sensitive in addition to be water-sensitive, such that the inflation device would be triggered only when the user was in water at more than a certain pressure, such as a surfer who wiped out on a large wave being held under the water or a SCUBA diver who exceeded a certain depth.
It is an additional object of the invention that the triggering device could have a gradual reaction, such that it would release only enough compressed gas to raise a person to a certain depth without releasing all the compressed gas at once.
It is a further object of the invention that in a compressed air embodiment of the invention, the invention would additionally comprise a breathing apparatus whereby the user could breathe the air as it comes out of the canister, then exhale the spent air into a flotation device.
It is also an object of this invention that the invention, in an embodiment in which the trigger has an extremely long “fuse time”, can be used to float cars, boats, airplanes, helicopters and other objects which normally sink, where a SCUBA diver, submarine, or remote control ocean rover can implant the device in a hold of the sunken object and when the invention is triggered, the canister releases compressed gas into a balloon which then fills the hold, causing the object to become positively buoyant, such that the object rises to the surface.
It is another object of the invention that the use of the invention to float sunken objects can be used with multiple inflation devices all triggered by the same “fuse”, all placed in different holds, such that a very large and heavy object can be raised.
It is an additional object of the invention that such “hold-filling” embodiments can be installed in cars, trucks, boats, airplanes, helicopters, trains, and other transportation means which occasionally are lost in oceans, rivers, and lakes, such that once such an object falls into the water, the invention is triggered in one or more holds, thereby causing the normally negatively buoyant device to float, either permanently or at least long enough for the passengers to escape safely.
It is a further object of the invention that the balloon has a number of means of facilitating retrieval by the user, including an eye hook or other projection into which a gaff could be inserted.
It is also an object of this invention that an LED, Glowstick, or other illumination device be attached to the invention and triggered by immersion in water through the triggering apparatus, thereby providing a light source in addition to the flotation provided by the balloon.
It is another object of the invention that the illumination could operate off a small, waterproof battery which powers the illumination only upon water contact or upon the water triggering the inflation device.
It is an additional object of the invention that the illumination can flash, change colors, or otherwise attract attention through its appearance.
It is also an object of this invention that the invention may be built into mechanisms such as fishing rods, gaffs, nets, and other gear that may fall overboard and necessitate retrieval.
It is another object of the invention that a spring sealing diaphragm be included in its construction that controls activation due to pressure when submerged in liquid.
It is an additional object of the invention that the invention that it be fashioned to function as a marker or buoy when thrown overboard by utilizing a line and weight.
It is also an object of this invention that the invention have significant military applications, such as salvage, safety, and identification.
A further object of the invention is to facilitate the retrieval of important or vital items, such as black boxes on airliners, radios, life rafts, communication devices, survival kits and products, first aid kits, navigational devices, gps units, sextants, outboard motors, generators, anchors, tools and tool boxes, binoculars, monoculars, night vision devices, and flashlights.
An additional object of the invention is an embodiment which can be manually activated for use in marking locations with a buoyant balloon, either in the water or on land, such as where search and rescue operations use helium in the canister.
The invention has further application in the crabbing and fishing industries, where a canister could be designed to be remote activated and raise pots or traps or lines.
Another object of the invention is found in fishing, SCUBA, river kayaking, or surfing suits that are two layers thick, where the device, when activated, allows the compressed gas out of the canister to fill the space between the two layers, such that the suit becomes buoyant and helps the wearer retain heat due to the insulating properties of air.
A further object of the invention deals with hazardous material stored in containers, upon which the device could be attached so as to keep the containers of hazardous waste from becoming irretrievably lost should they be lost at sea or into a deep lake or river.
An additional object of the invention is to use the inflation device in a throwable personal flotation device which could be made small and compact, for easy throwing over a longer distance than would be possible with a traditionally lightweight and bulky PFD, but when it hit the water it would automatically inflate to provide buoyancy in man overboard situations.
Another object of the invention is to allow the invention to be built into a box which can shield and protect valuable documents, such as log books, black boxes in airplanes, etc.
Further objects of the invention include:
Providing a sponge/latch release mechanism whereby a sponge is compressed behind a lever arm which locks two parts of the invention together, such that when water invades the interior of the invention, the sponge expands causing the lever to move and unlock the two parts, thereby allowing the balloon to expand and fill with a gas.
Providing a container made of two mating portions such that rather than having an end cap release, allowing the balloon to expand, the two halves of the container hingeably release from one other and allow the balloon to expand. Providing a container in a shape other than a basic cylinder, where the shapes can be, optionally, nautically themed.
Providing a means of producing a gas to fill the balloon, where the means of producing gas is a combination of one or more substances with either water or other substances, where the produced gas fills the balloon.
It is a final object of this invention that the invention be made of simple, easy to find, inexpensive components, such that it provides an economical means of ensuring that valuable items which fall into water are not lost.
It should be understood the while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.
Turning the
The end cap (11) is attached to the balloon casing (9) by a hinge (28). The hinge (28) can, optionally, have a spring would around the point of connection such that the end cap is spring-loaded and will open upon release, or it can be manufactured without a spring, so that the end cap will open only upon the balloon expanding and forcing it open. To secure the end cap to the balloon casing until the invention has been submerged in water, a lever (34) is hingably attached to the inside of the balloon casing. Between the lever and the balloon casing is a sponge (35) which is compressed by the lever. At the top of the lever (32) is a latch (34) which secures the balloon casing to the end cap through the removably securing of the latch (34) to a lock point (36) on the end cap (11). When water rushes into the invention through inlets (shown here as 18 but it should be noted that inlets can be built into the device at other locations as well), the water begins to dissolve the bobbin (4), and is absorbed by a sponge (33) which is compressed under the lever (34). At the sponge expands, it moves the lever (32) away from the side of the balloon casing (9), removing the latch (34) from the lock point (36). Once the latch is removed from the lock point, the end cap (11) is free to rotate outward from the balloon (10). If the hinge (28) is spring-loaded, the end cap will snap open to allow the balloon (10) to expand; if the hinge is not spring-loaded, the expanding balloon will open the end cap and it expands outward from the balloon casing (9).
Turning to
It should be stressed that this embodiment would work just as well with an interior container which comprises at least one substance, which, when mixed with water creates bubbles, which would then fill a balloon.
In other embodiments, a manufacturer need only change the sizes, composition, or other basic characteristics of the invention as laid out here, to affect the desired results. For example, in the embodiment to fill holds in a submerged object or prevent the holds from filling with water, the trigger fuse is set longer, and canister is larger, and the balloon is larger and tougher. In the embodiment in which the invention is used to prevent such large objects from sinking, the trigger fuse is short but the canister is the same size and the balloon is also large and made of tough resilient material. The additional figures all illustrate different aspects of the invention in its different embodiments.
For embodiments related to participants in water-related sports such as kayaking, surfing, and SCUBA diving, the gas may be compressed air and the trigger may be set to be sensitive to water, depth, or pressure.
Other uses shall be apparent to one skilled in the art, all of which we claim as our invention.
This application claims benefit of Utility patent application Ser. No. 11/447,410, with a filing date of Jun. 6, 2006.
