INFLATING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of nautical recreation, and more particularly relates to an inflating device that can be used to inflate an inflatable boat comprising two side tubes and a bottom, each including an independent air chamber, as well as inflatable boat equipped with such an inflating device.

BACKGROUND

An inflatable boat generally includes two independent side tubes each having a valve of the same model designed for inflation and deflation of the corresponding boat as well as a valve, often of another model designed for inflating and deflating the bottom of the inflatable boat.

However, the inflation of such an inflatable boat has the drawback of causing an asymmetry between the two tubes if the latter are inflated alternatingly with excessive pressure deviation.

These asymmetries are essentially due to the deformation of the inner wall separating the air chambers of the two tubes, that inner wall tending to curve toward the lower pressure air chamber.

This frequently occurs when one of the two tubes is completely inflated before inflating the other.

To avoid this drawback, the user must, during the inflation phase, connect and disconnect the pump several times, alternating between both of the valves of the two side tubes.

However, this independent inflation of the two side tubes is sometimes misunderstood, is laborious and allows a slight asymmetry to remain between the two air chambers of the two tubes, one always being irreparably more inflated than the other.

The standards in force in the field of inflatable boats provide that in the event of a puncture of one of the two side tubes, at least 50% of the inflatable volume of the inflatable boat must remain inflated, which rules out designs with two side tubes communicating through a single air chamber, which would nevertheless resolve the problem of the asymmetry.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention aims to resolve all or some of the aforementioned drawbacks.

To that end, the present invention relates to an inflating device capable of being used for inflating an inflatable boat comprising two side tubes and a bottom respectively including an independent air chamber, said device being characterized in that it comprises a sealing body comprising an enclosure having at least three communication openings, each of the openings being connected to another opening with a passage allowing for airflow circulation, and namely a first opening to be connected to a first air routing means for supplying air to the air chamber of the first side tube of the inflatable boat, a second opening to be connected to a second air routing means for supplying air to the air chamber of the second side tube of the inflatable boat, a third opening to be connected to an inflating pump, and means for closing the passage between the first opening and the second opening, positioned in the enclosure, and movable between a first so-called open position in which the passage between the first opening and the second opening is open to a second so-called closed passage in which the passage between the first opening and the second opening is closed, and means for positioning the closing means in any intermediate position found between the open position and the closed position, the third opening being formed on the positioning means.

This arrangement makes it possible to inflate two tubes simultaneously from a single connection of the pump and also allows equilibrium of the pressure of the two tubes during inflation and separation of the air chambers of the two tubes once the inflation is done.

Furthermore, this arrangement results in making it possible to control the airflow passing between the two tubes through the inflating device, for example during re-equilibration made necessary following a pressure drop of one of the tubes.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means comprise the closing means.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means include a tappet member and a handling member embodying a motion conversion device of the screw-and-nut type converting a relative rotary motion of the handling member into a relative translatory motion of the tappet member so as to bring the blocking means into the closing position thereof.

This arrangement allows the user to go from one position to the other through a simple rotational movement.

According to one embodiment, the positioning means include a non-return device.

According to one embodiment, the enclosure includes two removable parts.

According to one embodiment, the inflating device includes mistake-proofing means for the closed position and/or for the open position, in particular for inflating position of the inflatable boat.

This arrangement facilitates the use of the inflating device.

According to one embodiment, the enclosure has a fourth opening to be connected to third air routing means for supplying air to the air chamber of the bottom of the inflatable boat, each of the openings being connected to another opening by a passage allowing for airflow circulation in the open position.

This arrangement makes it possible to inflate the side tubes and the bottom of the boat simultaneously.

According to the same embodiment, the passages between the first opening or the second open and the fourth opening are open in the open position of the closing means, and the passages between the first opening or the second opening and the fourth opening are closed in the closed position of the closing means.

This arrangement makes it possible to isolate each of the air chambers of the side tubes and the bottom.

Advantageously, the section of the fourth opening is undersized with respect to the sections of the first opening and the second opening.

This arrangement makes it possible to have the end of the inflation of the bottom, the air chamber of which generally has a smaller volume than that of the two side tubes, coincide with the end of inflation of the chambers of the side tubes and therefore protect the bottom from periodic overpressures due to pump movement during the inflation.

According to one embodiment, the closing means are removable from the enclosure.

This arrangement allows easy replacement of the closing means, for example in the event of loss of sealing, and allows simultaneous and rapid deflation of the air chambers of the inflatable boat connected to the inflating device.

The present invention also relates to an inflatable boat including an inflating device as previously described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In any case, the invention will be well understood using the following description, in reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing showing, as a non-limiting example, several embodiments of an inflating device according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an inflating device in the closed position according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of the inflating device of FIG. 1 in the deflating position.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom perspective view of the inflating device of FIG. 1 in the deflating position.

FIG. 4 shows a transverse cross-sectional view of the inflating device of FIG. 1 in the closed position.

FIG. 5 shows a transverse cross-sectional view of the inflating device of FIG. 1 in the deflating position.

FIG. 6 shows a transverse cross-sectional view of the inflating device of FIG. 1 in the inflating position.

FIG. 7 shows a first view of an alternative of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 8 shows a second view of the device of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows a third view of the device of FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 shows an inflatable boat equipped with an inflating device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated in FIG. 10, an inflating device 1 according to the invention may be used to inflate an inflatable boat 2 comprising a right side tube 3, a left side tube 4 and optionally a bottom 4 each respectively comprising an independent air chamber 31, 41, 51 as well as air routing means 32, 42, 52.

The air chambers 31, 41 of the two side tubes 3, 4 have the same volume.

As illustrated in the different embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 10f, an inflating device 1 according to the invention comprises a sealed body 6 comprising an enclosure 7 having three communicating openings 11, 12, 13 connected to each other.

The first opening 11 is designed to be connected to the air routing means 32 designed to supply the air chamber 31 of the first side tube 3 of the inflatable boat 2 with air, the second opening 12 being designed to be connected to the second air routing means 42 designed to supply the air chamber 41 of the second side tube 4 of the inflatable boat 2 with air, the third opening 13 is designed to be connected to an inflating pump (not shown).

Furthermore, the first opening 11 and the second opening 12 have a same inner diameter or section so as to equitably distribute the air injected by the pump coming from the third opening 13.

In the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9, the inflating device 100 includes a fourth opening 14 that can be connected to the other three openings 11, 12, 13 and designed to be connected to the air routing means 52 designed to supply the air chamber 51 of the bottom 5 of the inflatable boat 2 with air.

In this embodiment, the body 6 comprises two complementary parts 101, 115 forming the enclosure 7.

The first of these parts is formed by a baseplate 101 designed to be kept against the inflatable boat 2.

This baseplate 101 comprises a body 105 with a substantially cylindrical shape that is completely open on one of said two bases.

This body 105 forms a first part of the enclosure 7 of the body 6 of the inflating device 100.

The other of these two bases includes a first duct 102 with a cylindrical shape forming the first opening 11 and designed to be connected to the air routing means 32, which in turn are designed to supply the air chamber 31 of the right tube 3 of the inflatable boat with air, a second cylindrical duct 103 forming the second opening 12 and designed to be connected to the air routing means 42, which in turn are designed to supply the air chamber 41 of the left tube 4 of the inflatable boat 2 with air, and a third cylindrical duct 104 forming the fourth opening 14 and designed to be connected to the air routing means 52, which in turn are designed to supply the chamber 51 of the bottom 3 of the inflatable boat 2 with air.

Each of these three hollow cylindrical ducts 102, 103, 104 transversely crosses the base of the body 105 of the baseplate 101 so as to emerge inside the enclosure 7 of the body 6 of the inflating device 100.

The main axis of each of these three ducts 102, 103, 104 passes through the apex of an equilateral triangle positioned transversely to the crossed base of the body 105 of the baseplate 101.

Thus, each of these three ducts 102, 103, 104 respectively comprises a protruding portion 110, 111, 112 of the crossed base of the body 105 of the baseplate 101.

Furthermore, each of the ends of the protruding portions 110, 111, 112 is planar and positioned in a same plane as the other two, said plane in turn being positioned transversely to the cylindrical shape of the body 105 of the baseplate 101 and substantially at the height thereof.

The body 105 of the baseplate 101 also comprises a thread 109 positioned on its cylindrical inner surface, the function of which will be described later in the text.

Furthermore, on its cylindrical outer surface, the body 105 of the baseplate 101 comprises, in the direction from the base crossed by the ducts 102, 103, 104 toward the open base, a circumferential annular bead 106 followed by a circumferential annular slot 107 in which an O-ring 108 is positioned, the O-ring giving the baseplate 101 a greater lateral bulk than that of the circumferential annular bead 106.

The bead 106 as well as the slot 107 occupy a predetermined position, the function of which will be described later in the text.

The second part is formed by positioning means 115 and comprises a second part of the enclosure 7 of the body 6 of the inflating device 100.

These positioning means 115 are removable and have a substantially cylindrical shape that is completely open on one of said two bases and is designed to be engaged on the first part 101 or baseplate 101 so as to position the inflating device 100 in its different operational positions.

These positioning means 115 are formed by a tappet 120 and a handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

The tappet 120 comprises a disk-shaped body 128 from which central guide means 121 extend on the one hand in the form of a triangular prism with curved surfaces whereof the curve radius is substantially equal to the radius of the three ducts 102, 103, 104 of the baseplate 101, and cylindrical closing means 122, 123, 124 on the other hand, respectively designed to bear on the protruding portions 110, 111, 112 of the ducts 102, 103, 104 of the baseplate 101 of the inflating device.

In order to hermetically close these ducts 102, 103, 104, each closing means 122, 123, 124 comprises a planar seal 125 positioned on its end face across from the protruding portions 110, 111, 112 and maintained at the center thereof by retaining means 126 in the shape of a “T”.

The central guide means 121 extend beyond the closing means 122, 123, 124 so as to perform their guiding function during the engagement of the positioning means 115 on the first part 101 or baseplate 101 and also comprise a central opening 127 emerging on the one hand on the outer face of the guide means 121 and on the other hand on the center of the body 128 of the disc-shaped tappet 120.

The handling member 130 comprises a body 131 in the shape of a hollow cylinder with an open base and a quasi-closed base and having an inner cylindrical part 135 and an outer cylindrical part 137 that are coaxial to each other and both include an inner face and an outer face.

The inner face of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130 comprises a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the base 101, allowing the O-ring 108 to ensure sealing between the enclosure 7 and the outside.

The tappet 120 is designed to be retained in translation but free in rotation inside the inner cylindrical part 135 of the handling member 130.

To that end, the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 comprises a central rivet 134 extending from the center of the quasi-closed base of handling member 130 in the direction of the main axis of its cylindrical shape, passes through the central opening 127 formed on the guide means 121 of the tappet 120, then retains the tappet 120 in translation against the handling member 130 in the direction of the main axes, which are then coaxial, of the tappet 120 and the handling member 130.

Furthermore, the handling member 130 comprises a thread 136 positioned on the outer face of the inner cylindrical part 135 and designed to cooperate with the thread 109 of the base 101 as well as a circumferential annular bead 138 positioned on the end of the inner face of the outer cylindrical part 137 and designed to cooperate with the circumferential annular bead 106 of the base 101.

Lastly, the handling member 130 comprises a duct 132 emerging in the inner cylindrical part 135 making up the third opening 13 of the enclosure 17 of the inflating device 100 designed to connect an inflating pump.

According to one alternative of this first embodiment, this inflating duct 132 comprises a non-return device 8 designed to prevent the air blown into the enclosure 7 by the inflating pump through the duct 132 from leaving the enclosure 7 through that same duct 132.

Nevertheless, this non-return device 8 is not essential to the inflating device 100.

In fact, most of the inflating pumps used to inflate the inflatable boat 2 are sealed at the piston.

Part of the air blown in by the inflating pump through the duct 132 can therefore emerge through that same duct 132, in particular when air is taken from the inflating pump, but will never go beyond the piston of the inflating pump.

Thus, by acting only on the positioning means 115 of the inflating device 100 and in particular on the rotation of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120, it is possible to position the inflating device 100 in a closed position P2 as illustrated in FIG. 4, in a deflating position PD as illustrated in FIG. 5 or in an inflating position PI as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The inflating position PI and deflating position PD are more generally part of a so-called open position P1.

This consideration is valid for this first embodiment as well as the following embodiments described hereafter.

In the closed position P2 illustrated in FIG. 4, each planar seal 125 of each closing means 122, 123, 124 bears on the flank of each protruding portion 110, 111, 112 so as to hermetically close one of the ducts 102, 103, 104 under the action of the screwing of the thread 136 of the handling member 130 on the thread 109 of the baseplate 101, thereby preventing any communication whatsoever between the openings 11, 12, 13, and 14.

Furthermore, the O-ring 108 exerts pressure on the one hand on the wall of the circumferential annular slot 107 and on the other hand on the wall of the inner face of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130, thereby partitioning the air located in the enclosure 7 from the outside air.

To return the inflating device 100 to its deflating position PD, illustrated in FIG. 5, the user unscrews the handling member 130 from the baseplate 101.

This first results in balancing the pressure of the air inside the air chambers 31, 41, 51.

By continuing to gradually unscrew the handling member 130, the user reaches a hard point generated by the action of the circumferential annular bead 138 of the handling member 130 on the circumferential annular bead 106 of the baseplate 101.

At this stage of unscrewing, the enclosure 7 is still hermetically isolated from the outside.

By continuing to unscrew the handling member 130 beyond this hard point, the O-ring 108 no longer exerts pressure on the wall of the inner face of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130, then the thread 136 disengages from the thread 109, thereby putting the enclosure 7 in communication with the outside.

At this stage, the positioning means 115 are separated from the baseplate 101, thereby freeing the openings 11, 12, 14 so as to allow the air located in the air chambers 31, 41, 51 to exit to the outside.

When the user wishes to position the inflating device 100 in its inflating position PI illustrated in FIG. 6, the user begins by engaging the positioning means 115 in the baseplate 101 while making sure to correctly engage the guide means 121 between the three protruding portions 110, 111, 112 of the ducts 102, 103, 104 on the one hand, and the thread 136 in the thread 109 on the other hand.

By screwing the thread 136 in the thread 109, the guide means 121 move in translation along the outer lateral edge of the protruding portions 110, 111, 112 until reaching the hard point generated by the action of the circumferential annular bead 138 of the handling member 130 on the circumferential annular bead 106 of the base 101.

By continuing to screw the seal beyond this hard point, the O-ring 108 again exerts pressure on the wall of the inner face of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130, thereby isolating the enclosure 7 from the outside.

The user connects the inflating pump to the duct 132 and blows air into the enclosure 73 the non-return device 8.

The air passing through the duct 132 reaches the enclosure 7 on the one hand through the play remaining between the tappet 120 and the handling member 130 and on the other hand through orifices 129 formed in the closing means 122, 123, 124 necessarily putting the upper part of one of the closing means 122, 123, 124 across from the duct 132 due to one of the three positions allowed by the guide means 121 in communication with a side wall of the same closing means 122, 123, 124 emerging in the enclosure 7.

In this inflating position PI, the air chambers 31, 41, 51 are inflated simultaneously and the pressure of one of them is balanced with respect to the other two.

At the end of inflation, the user returns the inflating device 100 to the closed position P2 thereof illustrated in FIG. 4 by simply screwing the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 until it abuts on the planar seals 125 on the flanks of the protruding portions 110, 111, 112 of the ducts 102, 103, 104.

During this transition from the inflating position P1 to the closed position P2, the inner wall of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130 slides on the O-ring 108 following the helical movement of the threads 109, 136, the O-ring 108 ensuring sealing between the enclosure 7 and the outside at all times.

FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate another alternative of this first embodiment. Furthermore, this alternative is compatible with the alternative previously described involving eliminating the non-return device 8.

According to this alternative, the inflating device 100 comprises mistake-proofing means 150 in particular including first positioning means 151 for the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 in the closed position P2, and second positioning means 152 for the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 in the open position P1 and more particularly in the inflating position PI of the inflatable boat 2.

In this alternative embodiment, the inner thread 109 of the stationary baseplate 101 and the thread 136 of the inner cylinder part 135 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120, cooperate over substantially a half-revolution to go from the closed position P2 to an open position P1 and vice versa.

Furthermore, still according to this alternative, the circumferential annular bead 106 and the circumferential annular bead 138 can be eliminated.

According to this alternative, the baseplate 101 comprises a peripheral portion 153 in the shape of a hollow cylinder with a small thickness, extending over its entire outer periphery, substantially along the same plane as the bottom of the body 105 of the baseplate 101 over a predetermined diameter greater than that of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

The outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 comprises a toroid peripheral annular portion 154, extending over its outer lateral surface substantially along the same plane as the bottom of the positioning member 130 of the cylindrical tappet 120, over a predetermined diameter smaller than that of the peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101.

The first positioning means 151 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 in the closed position P2 on the one hand comprise a first closing member 155 supported by the peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101 arranged to cooperate with a second closing member 157 supported by the handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

The first closing member 155 has a generally parallelepiped shape with a small thickness extending substantially transversely to the plane in which the peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101 extends from a first predetermined peripheral position of that same peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101 to a height that is also predetermined.

Furthermore, this first closing member 155 has an opening 156 passing through its surface at a predetermined height and having a general rectangular shape.

The second closing member 157 has a generally parallelepiped shape and protrudes from the outer surface of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 with a predetermined height and thickness.

The second positioning means 152 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 in the open position P1 and more particularly in the inflating position PI of the inflatable boat 2 comprise a first opening member 158 supported by the peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101 on the one hand, arranged to cooperate with a second opening member 159 supported by the handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

The first opening member 158 is generally in the shape of a rod extending transversely to the plane in which the peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101 extends from a second predetermined peripheral position of that same peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101 at a height that is also predetermined.

The second predetermined peripheral position of the first opening member 158 is substantially positioned opposite the first predetermined peripheral position on the first closing member 155 on the peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101.

The second opening member 159 is formed by a centered and transverse slit, formed on the second closing member 157 of the first positioning means 151 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

This slit 159 comprises a width substantially equal to that of the first opening member 158 in the form of a rod and divides the second closing member 157 in two parts.

Furthermore, the second closing member 157 comprises a shape substantially complementary to that of the opening 156 of the first closing member 155 and is then situated across from that same opening 156 when the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 is in its closed position P2.

Furthermore, the second closing member 157 comprises a thickness greater on the one hand than the distance separating the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 and the first closing member 155, and on the other hand the distance separating that same handling member 130 of the tappet 120 and the first opening member 158 when the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 is positioned near the peripheral portion 153 of the base 101 after having been engaged therein.

Thus, when the user wishes to inflate the inflatable boat 2, he begins by screwing the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 on the baseplate 101, then connects a pump to the inflating duct 132.

To that end, the inner thread 109 of the stationary baseplate 101 and the thread 136 of the inner cylindrical part 135 of handling member 130 of the tappet 120, are arranged to limit the number of rotations of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 on the baseplate 101, that rotation preferably not exceeding one revolution.

The second closing member 157 and the second opening member or slit 159 then reach the first opening member or rod 158.

The beveled shape of the first part of the second closing member 157 then exerts lateral pressure on the first opening member or rod 158, which forces it to deform elastically until that same first opening member or rod 158 penetrates inside the second opening member or slit 159 located at the middle of the second closing member 157.

The inflating device 100 is then in an open position P1, and more specifically in an inflating position PI in which the various air chambers 31, 41, 51 communicate with each other and in which the enclosure 6 is sealed.

In this position, the user then inflates the inflatable boat by actuating the inflating pump.

To bring the inflating device 100 toward its closed position P2, the user continues to screw the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 on the baseplate 101, which frees the first opening member or rod 158 from the second opening member or slit 159 by causing a new elastic deformation of the first opening member or rod 158 following the action of the second part of the second closing member 157.

By continuing to screw a half-revolution from the previous open position P1, the second closing member 157 reaches the first closing member 155. The beveled shape of the first part of the second closing member 157 followed by the second part of the second closing member 157 then successively exerts lateral pressure on the first closing member 155, which is then forced to deform elastically until the second closing member 157 penetrates inside the opening 156 formed in the first closing member 155.

The inflating device 100 is then in the closed position P2, in which the various air chambers 31, 41, 51 are hermetic with respect to one another.

In this closed position P2, the toroid peripheral annular portion 154 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 bears on the thin hollow cylindrical peripheral portion 153 of the baseplate 101.

According to another alternative of this first embodiment, the inflating duct 132 is positioned near the center of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

Furthermore, according to other alternatives, the inflating duct 132 comprises a stopper 160 arranged to protect the inflating duct 132, and the outer surface of the outer cylindrical part 137 of the handling member 130 of the tappet 120 comprises gripping means 161 assuming the form of cavities arranged to facilitate gripping of the positioning means 130 by a user.

According to the alternative of this first embodiment comprising doing away with the non-return device 8, the user is forced to return the inflating device 100 toward the closed position P2 thereof before disconnecting the inflating pump from the duct 132, which gives the inflating device 100 additional security, thereby preventing the user from forgetting to return the inflating device 100 to the closed position P2 thereof following inflation of the inflatable boat 2.

In fact, only the closed position P2 guarantees compliance with the standard according to which, following the step for inflating the inflatable boat 2, the various air chambers 31, 41, 51 must be hermetic with respect to one another so as to guarantee 50% inflation of the inflatable boat 2 following a puncture.

Furthermore, this alternative makes it possible to deflate the inflatable boat 2 if the latter is overinflated by unscrewing and rescrewing the handling member 130 of the tappet 120.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specific example embodiments, it is of course in no way limited thereto and encompasses all technical equivalents of the described means as well as combinations thereof.

INFLATING DEVICE

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