Short-range lifebuoy launcher

Abstract

A short-range life saving device is provided. After removing a safety pin and throwing a housing, a wound portion of a line unwinds, a spring loaded sliding disc pushes down a first needle until being stopped, the first needle punctures an auxiliary air canister to release compressed air, the compressed air enters a receptacle, the compressed air flows out of the receptacle into a first portion of a second cylinder via an axial hole, a second needle is pushed down when the pressure reaches a predetermined value, the second needle punctures a main air canister to release compressed air prior to entering a second portion of the second cylinder, the compressed air flows out of the second portion of the second cylinder into the first cylinder, the compressed air flows into a lifebuoy for inflation via a tube, and the inflated lifebuoy separates the housing into two halves.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to life saving devices and more particularly to a compressed air powered device for launching a lifebuoy from short-range to save a person overwhelmed in water.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional life saving device having a launcher is provided for an automatic inflation of a float by simply acting on a lever. The mechanism comprises a gas canister at a top portion with the float so that the canister is traversed by a hollow cut-off cock whose lower end projects from a container and is terminated by the lever. The upper end is introduced inside the float and the gas penetrating through the hollow tube of the cock. Integral with the assembly is a ring connected to a rolled-up cable which is integrally formed with the launcher. The launcher is mounted in a gun so that a life saving assembly can be launched toward a target in danger.

While it has some utility, improvements in these products are desired, and these improvements are provided by the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a life saving device comprising a housing consisting of at least two detachable pieces and comprising a neck having an opening; a cylindrical cap assembly comprising an annular groove on an outer surface, a hollow extension, a stop member secured to an opening of the extension, a transverse hole through the extension, a safety pin inserted through the transverse hole, and a spring biased sliding disc having one end secured to the stop member and an other end urging against the safety pin; a first needle moveably disposed in the cap assembly and comprising an annular first flange proximate to the safety pin; a buoyant assembly disposed in the housing and comprising a hollow first cylinder having a top secured to the opening of the neck and including an inflatable lifebuoy disposed around the first cylinder; a tube being in fluid communication with both the first cylinder and the lifebuoy; a delay mechanism comprising a receptacle, an annular second flange on a bottom of the receptacle, an axial hole through a center of the second flange, and an auxiliary air canister disposed in the receptacle and being in close proximity to the first needle, a hollow second cylinder having one end secured to the second flange and an opening on an other end, a disc affixed to an inner surface of the second cylinder to divide the second cylinder into a first portion defined between the disc and the second flange and a second portion defined between the disc and the main air canister, the disc having a central hole, and a main air canister disposed in the second cylinder spaced from the disc and having a bottom engaged with the opening of the second cylinder; a second needle spaced from the receptacle and moveably disposed through the central hole of the disc, the second needle being in close proximity to the main air canister; and a line having one fastened end and an other end wound on the annular groove, the line comprising an extension tied to the safety pin; wherein in response to a removal of the safety pin and a throwing of the housing, a portion of the line wound on the annular groove unwinds, the sliding disc pushes down the first needle until the first flange engages the extension, the first needle punctures the auxiliary air canister to release compressed air from the auxiliary air canister, the compressed air enters the receptacle, the compressed air flows out of the receptacle into the first portion of the second cylinder via the axial hole, pressure in the first portion of the second cylinder increases constantly, the second needle is pushed down when the pressure reaches a predetermined value, the second needle punctures the main air canister to release compressed air from the main air canister prior to entering a second portion of the second cylinder, the compressed air flows out of the second portion of the second cylinder into the first cylinder via the opening of the second cylinder, pressure in the first cylinder increases constantly, the compressed air flows into the lifebuoy for inflation via the tube, and the inflated lifebuoy separates the housing into the at least two pieces.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a life saving device according to the invention;

FIG. 2A is an exploded view of the life saving device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a further exploded view of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the life saving device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of an upper part of FIG. 3 where the first needle pierces the auxiliary air canister and the second needle pierces the main air canister in an initial phase;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the first needle clears the auxiliary air canister and the second needle clears the main air canister in a first intermediate phase;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a second intermediate phase; and

FIG. 7 schematically depicts a final phase with the lifebuoy being expanded and the housing being split into two halves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, a life saving device in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

A housing 1 consists of two detachable halves and comprises a cylindrical top neck 17 having an opening 14. A cylindrical cap assembly 2 comprises an annular groove 21 on an outer surface, a narrow extension 22, a disc-shaped member 24 secured to an opening of the extension 22, and a transverse hole 29 through the extension 22. A safety pin 4 is inserted through the hole 29 to support a sliding disc 26 in the extension 22. A helical spring 25 is biased between the disc-shaped member 24 and the sliding disc 26. A moveable first needle 20 is moveably provided in the cap assembly 2 and comprises an annular flange 23 proximate to the safety pin 4, an annular groove 27 proximate to a pointed end, and an O-ring 28 sealingly put on the groove 27.

A buoyant assembly 9 is provided in the housing 1 and comprises a hollow cylinder 91 having a top secured to the opening 14 and having a bottom hole 92, and an inflatable lifebuoy 90 disposed around the cylinder 91. A tube 15 has one end inserted into the hole 92 and the other end inserted into the surface of the lifebuoy 90. A delay mechanism 3 comprises a cylindrical receptacle 31 having an internal space 35, an annular flange 39 on a bottom of the receptacle 31, an axial hole 33 through the center of the flange 39, and an auxiliary air canister 30 disposed in the space 35 and having a top 32 in close proximity to a pointed end of the first needle 20. A hollow, cylindrical member 11 has one end secured to the flange 39 and an opening 13 on the other end. The delay mechanism 3 further comprises a disc 36 affixed to the inner surface of the cylindrical member 11 to divide the cylindrical member 11 into a first portion defined between the disc 36 and the second flange 39 and a second portion defined between the disc 36 and a main air canister 10 in the cylindrical member 11, the disc 36 having a hole 34 through its center. The main air canister 10 is provided under the disc 36 and has a bottom engaged with the opening 13.

A moveable second needle 40 is under the receptacle 31 and is disposed through the hole 34 of the disc 36. The second needle 40 comprises an annular groove 41 and an O-ring 42 sealingly put on the groove 41. The pointed end of the second needle 40 is in close proximity to a top 12 of the main air canister 10. A line 6 has one end affixed to an anchor 60 and the other end wound on the groove 21. The line 6 has an extension 61 tied to the safety pin 4.

A rescue operation of the invention is described in detail below. A person may remove the safety pin 4 from the hole 29 and throws the life saving device toward a person being overwhelmed in water. The portion of the line 6 wound on the groove 21 unwinds. The energized spring 25 expands to push down the sliding disc 26 which in turn pushes down the first needle 20 until the flange 23 engages a bottom of the extension 22 (i.e., being stopped). The pointed end of the first needle 20 thus punctures the top 32 of the auxiliary air canister 30 to release compressed air from the auxiliary air canister 30 prior to entering the receptacle 31. The compressed air flows out of the receptacle 31 into the space 35 via the hole 33. The pressure in the space 35 increases constantly and will push down the second needle 40 when the pressure reaches a predetermined value. The pointed end of the second needle 40 punctures the top 12 of the main air canister 10 to release compressed air from the main air canister 10 prior to entering the cylindrical member 10. The compressed air flows out of the cylindrical member 11 into the cylinder 91 via the opening 13. The pressure in the cylinder 91 increases constantly and the compressed air flows into the lifebuoy 90 for inflation via the tube 15. The inflated lifebuoy 90 finally separates the housing 1 into two halves and places in close proximity to the person being overwhelmed in water. It is understood that there is a time delay calculated from the removal of the safety pin 4 to the lifebuoy 90 being placed in close proximity to the person being overwhelmed in water.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A life saving device comprising:

a housing consisting of at least two detachable pieces and comprising a neck having an opening;

a cylindrical cap assembly comprising an annular groove on an outer surface, a hollow extension, a stop member secured to an opening of the extension, a transverse hole through the extension, a safety pin inserted through the transverse hole, and a spring biased sliding disc having one end secured to the stop member and an other end urging against the safety pin;

a first needle moveably disposed in the cap assembly and comprising an annular first flange proximate to the safety pin;

a buoyant assembly disposed in the housing and comprising a hollow first cylinder having a top secured to the opening of the neck and including an inflatable lifebuoy disposed around the first cylinder;

a tube being in fluid communication with both the first cylinder and the lifebuoy;

a delay mechanism comprising a receptacle, an annular second flange on a bottom of the receptacle, an axial hole through a center of the second flange, and an auxiliary air canister disposed in the receptacle and being in close proximity to the first needle, a hollow second cylinder having one end secured to the second flange and an opening on an other end, a disc affixed to an inner surface of the second cylinder to divide the second cylinder into a first portion defined between the disc and the second flange and a second portion defined between the disc and the main air canister, the disc having a central hole, and a main air canister disposed in the second cylinder spaced from the disc and having a bottom engaged with the opening of the second cylinder;

a second needle spaced from the receptacle and moveably disposed through the central hole of the disc, the second needle being in close proximity to the main air canister; and

a line having one fastened end and an other end wound on the annular groove, the line comprising an extension tied to the safety pin;

wherein in response to a removal of the safety pin and a throwing of the housing, a portion of the line wound on the annular groove unwinds, the sliding disc pushes down the first needle until the first flange engages the extension, the first needle punctures the auxiliary air canister to release compressed air from the auxiliary air canister, the compressed air enters the receptacle, the compressed air flows out of the receptacle into the first portion of the second cylinder via the axial hole, pressure in the first portion of the second cylinder increases constantly, the second needle is pushed down when the pressure reaches a predetermined value, the second needle punctures the main air canister to release compressed air from the main air canister prior to entering a second portion of the second cylinder, the compressed air flows out of the second portion of the second cylinder into the first cylinder via the opening of the second cylinder, pressure in the first cylinder increases constantly, the compressed air flows into the lifebuoy for inflation via the tube, and the inflated lifebuoy separates the housing into the at least two pieces.