Abstract: An indicator to be snapped onto an inflator to indicate the “ready” operating condition of the inflator and, upon firing of the inflator by jerking the jerk handle to pivot the firing lever, the firing lever pops off the indicator from the inflator, thereby indicating the “fired” inoperable operating condition.

Abstract: An indicator to be snapped onto an inflator to indicate the “ready” operating condition of the inflator and, upon firing of the inflator by jerking the jerk handle to pivot the firing lever, the firing lever pops off the indicator from the inflator, thereby indicating the “fired” inoperable operating condition.

Abstract: A manual inflator having a status indicator that indicates whether a fully-charged, unspent gas cylinder has been installed on the inflator. The status indicator comprises a “single point” indicator having an indicator window that displays the color “green” when the automatic inflator is fully operational or the color “red” when the inflator is at least partially inoperable automatically due to the removal of the gas cylinder or due to the firing of the inflator resulting in a spent gas cylinder.

Abstract: An assemblable jerk handle for a lanyard cord including in one embodiment a base portion having a center channel with interior progressive teeth for receiving the lanyard cord and a cap portion for permanently snap-fitting to the base portion to securely grip and therefore retain the lanyard cord within the base portion. In another embodiment, the assemblable jerk handle comprises a base portion having a center channel positioned therethrough for receiving a bifurcated plug that receives the lanyard cord therein and forcibly closes about the lanyard cord to securely grip and therefore retain the lanyard cord within the base portion.

Abstract: A manual inflator having a status indicator that indicates whether a fully-charged, unspent gas cylinder has been installed on the inflator. The status indicator comprises a “single point” indicator having an indicator window that displays the color “green” when the automatic inflator is fully operational or the color “red” when the inflator is at least partially inoperable automatically due to the removal of the gas cylinder or due to the firing of the inflator resulting in a spent gas cylinder.

Abstract: An assemblable jerk handle for a lanyard cord including in one embodiment a base portion having a center channel with interior progressive teeth for receiving the lanyard cord and a cap portion for permanently snap-fitting to the base portion to securely grip and therefore retain the lanyard cord within the base portion. In another embodiment, the assemblable jerk handle comprises a base portion having a center channel positioned therethrough for receiving a bifurcated plug that receives the lanyard cord therein and forcibly closes about the lanyard cord to securely grip and therefore retain the lanyard cord within the base portion.

Abstract: An injection molding manufacturing apparatus and method that facilitates the formation of a blind hole in a two-component assembly in which a first component is molded in-situ in a second component. A first cylindrically-shaped component having a transverse socket with a blind hole is injected molding and then transferred into and molded in-situ within the second component in such a way that the blind hole is blocked-off by a second central core pin during molding of the second component. In this manner, the two-component in-situ assembly includes a blind hole formed in a socket.

Abstract: An assemblable jerk handle for a lanyard cord including in one embodiment a base portion having a center channel with interior progressive teeth for receiving the lanyard cord and a cap portion for permanently snap-fitting to the base portion to securely grip and therefore retain the lanyard cord within the base portion. In another embodiment, the assemblable jerk handle comprises a base portion having a center channel positioned therethrough for receiving a bifurcated plug that receives the lanyard cord therein and forcibly closes about the lanyard cord to securely grip and therefore retain the lanyard cord within the base portion.

Abstract: A handle for an inflator, comprising a body having a thin indicia portion defined by a first side viewable from opposing sides with a word formed through a left portion and a word is also formed through a right portion in reverse relative to each other such that when viewing said handle from the first side, only one of the words is readable whereas the other is not and when viewing the handle from the second side, the other the word is readable whereas the other is not.

Abstract: An automatic inflator comprising a body for receiving a dissolvable pill, said dissolvable pill including an upper surface and a lower surface, at least one of said surfaces including an undulating configuration.

Abstract: An inflator comprising a housing having an integrally formed mounting flange adapted to be heat-sealed directly to an inflatable article. A sleeve is injection molded in-situ inside the housing in which a pierce pin assembly is reciprocatably mounted within a central bore thereof. The sleeve within the housing allows the wall thickness of the housing to be significantly reduced and assures that the escaping gas from the cylinder always contacts the housing material. The sleeve includes a skirt extension with a socket defining the blind hole for receiving the end of the pivot pin of the firing lever to allow the injection-molding of a blind hole for the pivot pin without the need for subsequent drilling of the hole.

Abstract: A pill for insertion into a bobbin of a bobbin assembly of an automatic inflator, the pill including a distal surface and a proximal surface, at least one of the surfaces including an undulating configuration.

Abstract: An automatic inflator having a status indicator that indicates whether a fully-charged, unspent gas cylinder has been installed to the automatic inflator, whether a fully-operable bobbin has been properly installed within the automatic inflator and whether the threaded cap of the automatic inflator has been fully installed, including an indicator window that displays the color “green” when the automatic inflator is fully operational automatically or the color “red” when the automatic inflator is at least partially inoperable automatically due to the removal of the gas cylinder, due to at least partial removal of the threaded cap, or due to the firing of the inflator resulting in a spent bobbin or gas cylinder.

Abstract: A low profile inflation valve intended to be installed with an article to inflated with air, water or other fluid. The valve of the invention comprises a valve body which is sealed, such as by an adhesive, heat-sealing or RF sealing, to a corresponding opening in the article to be inflated. The body comprises a generally circular cylindrical configuration with internal threads for receiving a cap. The cap correspondingly comprises a circular cylindrical configuration having exterior threads for threaded engagement into the valve body. A flapper is affixed to the underside of the cap and functions as a one-way valve to prevent fluid from within the article from escaping therefrom when the cap is partially threaded within the body and yet which allows inflation of the article. Moreover, full tightening of the cap within the body sealingly entraps the flapper between the cap in a lower portion of the body so as to create an airtight seal and prevent further inflation (or deflation) of the article.

Abstract: Disclosed is an indicator system for use with inflating devices that use a cylinder of compressed gas. The indicator system is comprised of a cylinder adapter which receives and supports a cylinder and, concurrently, is received by an inflating device. The cylinder adapter includes an indication means that signals whether the attached cylinder is full or has been discharged by way of the indication means being responsive to the high pressure release from the cylinder during a discharge. The indication means incorporates the use of the color green to signify that the cylinder is full and the color red to signify that the cylinder has been discharged. The indicator system is designed to have a one-time use after which it is disposed of.

Abstract: An an inflator for the inflation of inflatable articles such as life vests and the like, such inflator being operated automatically upon being subjected to water as upon the ditching or parachuting of an aviator wearing a life vest provided with such inflator. In the preferred embodiment of the inflator disclosed, the automatic operating portion of it is embodied as an attachment to a known manually operated inflator, the resulting inflator being capable of operation both manually and automatically. The automatic operating portion of the inflator incorporates a releasable blocking device which holds an actuator pin operated by a coil compression spring in cocked condition until the releasable blocking device releases the actuator pin, which thereafter thrusts a piercing pin against and through the sealing diaphragm of a gas-containing capsule.

Abstract: An inflator for the inflation of inflatable articles such as life vests and the like, such inflator being operated automatically upon being subjected to water as upon the ditching or parachuting of an aviator wearing a life vest provided with such inflator. In the preferred embodiment of the inflator disclosed, the automatically operating portion of it is embodied as an attachment to a known manually operated inflator, the resulting inflator being capable of operation both manually and automatically. The automatically operating portion of the inflator incorporates a releasable blocking device which holds an actuator pin operated by a coil compression spring in cocked condition until the releasable blocking device releases the actuator pin, which thereafter thrusts a piercing pin against and through the sealing diaphragm of a gas-containing capsule.

Abstract: An inflator adapted to be heat-sealed directly to an inflatable article thereby obviating the need for inflation manifolds and the like. The inflator of the invention comprises a housing having an integrally formed mounting flange composed of a plastic material such as polyurethane, polyester or polyether capable of being easily sealed to the materials conventionally used in the manufacture of inflatable articles such as personal floatation devices, rafts, buoys and emergency signaling equipment. A pierce pin assembly is reciprocatably mounted within a bore in the housing. A firing lever is pivotably connected to the rear of the housing in alignment with the rearward end of the bore and is operatively configured such that upon pivotable movement by means of a lanyarded ball, the pierce pin assembly is forced forwardly within the bore to pierce the frangible seal of the gas cartridge.

Abstract: An improved gas flow meter which measures the time of travel of a soap film through a fixed volume to compute gas flow rate. A portable meter includes infrared sensors which detect the passing of a soap film, a timing circuit to determine the time of travel between the beginning and end of the fixed volume and a method of blocking the infrared portion of ambient light to allow for use outdoors. The device has a unique method of generating the soap bubble and for breaking the soap bubble at the end of the fixed volume. The unique flow unit, including flow cell and fixed sensors, is calibrated to determine the fixed volume which is stored in a nonvolatile memory location as a part of the flow unit.