Patent ID: 6966809
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: B63C

Abstract:
1. An air supply and exhaust system attached to an air bag of a buoyancy compensator, comprising: an air supply and exhaust unit adapted to control of air supply from an air supply source connected to said buoyancy compensator to said air bag and to control air exhaust from said air bag by opening or closing an air exhaust valve and a manipulating unit adapted to control said air exhaust valve to be opened or closed; said air supply and exhaust unit being attached to a periphery of an air supply and exhaust opening formed in said air bag and comprises a main air supply pipe fixed to said air bag in air-communication with the interior of said air bag and an air exhaust valve provided closely around an outer peripheral surface of said main air supply pipe so as to be pressed under a biasing effect of a spring against a valve seat formed around said main air supply pipe wherein said air exhaust valve includes a slide member adapted to slide along said outer peripheral surface against said biasing effect of said spring so that said air exhaust valve may be moved apart from said valve seat and thereby to allow for air exhaust from said air bag; and said manipulating unit being adapted to be connected with an air hose extending from said air supply source and comprising a first air supply pipe connected to said main air supply pipe, a second air supply pipe connected to an air chamber formed between said main air supply pipe and said slide member and a rotary change-over switch functioning to change-over a direction of the air flow wherein a rotational position of said change-over switch may be selected to direct said air flow to any one of said first air supply pipe and said second air supply pipe or to interrupt said air flow to these first and second air supply pipes and, in this way, said manipulating unit allows said air to be supplied to said air chamber through said second air supply pipe and thereby allows said slide member to slide against said biasing effect of said spring under a pressure of said air.