Air supply and exhaust system for buoyancy compensator

An air supply and exhaust system used for a buoyancy compensator includes an air supply and exhaust unit attached to a jacket, a manipulating unit connected to a hose extending from an air cylinder and first and second hoses connected to these two units. The air supply and exhaust unit uses the air supplied from the manipulating unit to supply the air to the jacket and to open an air exhaust valve and thereby to exhaust the air from the jacket. The manipulating unit uses a rotary change-over switch to supply the air from an air cylinder to a main supply pipe or an air chamber of the air supply and exhaust unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air supply and exhaust system suitable for use in a buoyancy compensator carried by a diver.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1995-71957 (Citation) discloses a buoyancy compensator for diving in which an exhaust valve assembly is attached to an air supply opening provided on a shoulder of the buoyancy compensator and an exhaust valve of this assembly is opened by an air flow introduced from a power inflator to exhaust the air from the buoyancy compensator.

In the buoyancy compensator disclosed in Citation, the power inflator is provided with an exhaust button and an inflator button side by side which are properly used for air supply to or air exhaust from the buoyancy compensator. For proper use of these two buttons, a driver may be required to be more or less skillful. An additional problem may occur due to the arrangement of this buoyancy compensator such that the air used to open the exhaust valve is supplied by an inner hose extending within a bellows-type outer hose. More specifically, this inner hose is connected to the exhaust valve within the bellows-type outer hose and therefore it may be often difficult to detect any abnormality occurring in various regions such as a region along the inner hose itself or a region in which the inner hose is connected to the exhaust valve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problems as have been described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a buoyancy compensator using the air supplied from the air cylinder to open the exhaust valve attached to the air bag improved so that an operation of opening the exhaust valve may be simplified and a checking of the air supply and exhaust system for opening of the exhaust valve may be facilitated.

The object set forth above is achieved, according to the present invention, by an air supply and exhaust system attached to an air bag of a buoyancy compensator, and comprising an air supply and exhaust unit adapted to control of air supply from an air supply source connected to the buoyancy compensator to the air bag and to control air exhaust from the air bag by opening or closing an air exhaust valve and a manipulating unit adapted to control the air exhaust valve to be opened or closed.

The air supply and exhaust system further comprises the following.

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

In the air supply and exhaust system according to this embodiment, position-selection of the rotary change-over switch makes it possible to supply the air into the air bag or to exhaust the air from the air bag and correspondingly facilitates manipulation of air supply and exhaust. The air supply and exhaust unit and the manipulating unit are connected to each other via the main air supply pipe and the first air supply pipe which are independent from each other. Such unique arrangement facilitates these air supply pipes to be checked.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the manipulating unit comprises first and second vent channels extending in parallel to each other and first and second joint channels connected to these two vent channels in air-communicating relationship and extending in parallel to each other wherein the first vent channel is formed so as to be connected to the air hose, an intermediate section of the first vent channel defined between its positions at which the first vent channel is connected to the first and second joint channels, respectively, is connected to the first air supply pipe and an intermediate section of the second vent channel defined between its positions at which the second vent channel is connected to the first and second joint channels, respectively, is connected to the second air supply pipe; the first vent channel contains therein first and second valves adapted to be alternately opened and closed wherein the first valve is interposed between the first joint channel and the first air supply pipe and normally closed to block the air flow from the air hose into the first air supply pipe while the second valve is interposed between the second joint channel and the first air supply pipe and normally opened to connect the second joint channel with the first air supply pipe in air-communicating relationship via the first vent channel; the second vent channel contains therein third and fourth valves adapted to be alternately opened and closed wherein the third valve is interposed between the first joint channel and the second air supply pipe and normally closed to block the air flow from the air hose into the second air supply pipe while the fourth valve is interposed between the second joint channel and the second air supply pipe and normally opened to connect the second joint channel with the second air supply pipe in air-communicating relationship via the second vent channel; and the change-over switch can be selectively set to a first position at which the second valve is closed, a second position at which the fourth valve is actuated and a neutral third position at which these two valves are left in normal states thereof.

In the air supply and exhaust system according to this embodiment, it is possible to connect the first vent channel of the manipulating unit to the main air supply pipe provided in the air supply and exhaust unit in air-communicating relationship and thereby to the air from the air hose to the air bag via the main air supply pipe.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the change-over switch is normally set to the third position under the biasing effect of the spring and may be selectively set to any one of the first position and the second position against the biasing effect of the spring.

In the air supply and exhaust system according to this embodiment, the change-over switch is spring-biased to be normally set to the neutral third position, so any manipulation of the change-over switch is not required after manipulation for air supply or air exhaust.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Details of the an supply and exhaust system according to the present invention will be more fully understood from the description given hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2are front and rear views, respectively, of a buoyancy compensator2using an air supply and exhaust system. The buoyancy compensator2comprises a jacket3serving also as an air bag, a harness6to which an air cylinder is fastened by means of a belt5, a pressure reducing valve7attached to the air cylinder4indicated by imaginary lines, an air hose8extending from the pressure reducing valve7and the air supply and exhaust system11attached to the air hose8by means of a coupler9. The air supply and exhaust system11comprises an air supply and exhaust unit21attached to a left shoulder of the jacket3, a manipulating unit22connected to the air hose8and first and second hoses23,24extending between the air supply and exhaust unit21and the a manipulating unit22.

FIG. 3is a sectional view of the air supply and exhaust unit21. It should be understood here that the first and second hoses23,24really extending in one and same direction are illustrated to extend in opposite directions for better understanding of the structure. The air supply and exhaust unit21is fixed to a periphery of an air supply and exhaust opening31formed in the jacket3by means of a first attachment32and a second attachment33. A lower end of a main air supply pipe34is fixed to the first attachment32and opened into the jacket3. The first hose23serving as a first air supply pipe is connected to an upper end of the main air supply pipe34by means of a connector member35. An annular slide member36is provided around the main air supply pipe34so that this annular slide member36is slidable along an outer peripheral surface of the main air supply pipe34in vertical direction. An air chamber38is defined between the main air supply pipe34and the slide member36. The slide member36is formed with an air flow channel41extending the air chamber38to a connector member39attached to a top of the slide member36and the second hose24serving as a second air supply pipe is connected to the connector member39. An annular air exhaust valve42is attached to a lower part of the slide member36and adapted to bear against an annular valve seat43. A cover member46and a cap47are provided around the slide member36. The cover member46has its lower end detachably fitted into the attachment32and has a peripheral wall48formed with a plurality of air exhaust holes49. A spring53is interposed in its compressed state between a top51of the cover member46and a flange52of the slide member36and presses the air exhaust valve42underlying the flange52against the valve seat43. The cap47is flexible and has its lower part detachably fitted into the cover member46. The cap47protects the regions in which the first and second hoses23,24are connected to the connector members35,39, respectively, and the vicinity of these regions. In the air supply and exhaust system11of such construction, the air is supplied from the first hose23to the interior of the jacket3through the main air supply pipe34.

FIG. 4is a view similar toFIG. 3, illustrating a manner in which the air supply unit21operates when the air is supplied from the second hose24into the air chamber38. The air supplied at high or medium pressure from the air cylinder4into the air chamber38lifts the slide member36against a biasing effect of the spring53so as to space the air exhaust valve42from the valve seat43and thereby allow the air within the jacket3to be exhausted in a direction indicated by an arrow.

FIG. 5is a perspective view of the manipulating unit22. The manipulating unit22has an outer housing61and a change-over switch60of which a knob62extends outward through an opening64of the outer housing61. The knob62may be set to a position indicated by index NEUTRAL or moved in one of directions indicated by a double-headed arrow A and set to a position indicated by index SUPPLY or EXHAUST. Starting from the outer housing61, the coupler9adapted to be coupled to the air hose8and the first and second hoses23,24extend leftward as viewed inFIG. 5. These first and second hoses23,24further extend to the sections of these first and second hoses23,24as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6is a sectional view illustrating the interior of the manipulating unit22. The manipulating unit22has an inner housing66within the outer housing61. The inner housing66is formed with first and second vent channels71,72extending in parallel to each other in horizontal direction as viewed inFIG. 6and third and fourth joint channels73,74adapted to join the first and second vent channels71,72in air-communicating relationship. The first vent channel71is provided on its left end with the coupler9and open at its right end. An intermediate section of the first vent channel71defined between the position at which the channel71is connected with the first joint channel73and the position at which the channel71is connected with the second joint channel74is formed with a third vent channel76to which the first hose23is connected (SeeFIG. 9). This third vent channel76substantially makes a part of the first hose23and integrally cooperates with the first hose23to form the first air supply pipe. The first vent channel71contains therein a first valve81and a second valve82. The first valve81normally blocks a path defined between the first joint channel73and the third vent channel76so that the air can not flow from the air hose8into the third vent channel76. The second valve82normally leaves a path defined between the second joint channel74and the first vent channel71open. The second valve82extends in horizontal direction as viewed inFIG. 6and has its right end86extending outward from the inner housing66. The first valve81is normally biased by a first spring77ato be closed and the second valve82is normally biased by a second spring77bto be opened.

The second vent channel72has its left end provided with a blank cap87and its right end left open. An intermediate section of the second vent channel72defined between the position at which the channel72is connected with the first joint channel73and the position at which the channel72is connected with the second joint channel74is formed with a fourth vent channel78to which the second hose24is connected (SeeFIG. 10). This fourth vent channel78substantially makes a part of the second hose24and integrally cooperates with the second hose24to form the second air supply pipe. The second vent channel72contains therein a third valve83and a fourth valve84. The third valve83normally blocks a path defined between the first joint channel73and the second vent channel72so that the air can not flow from the air hose8into the fourth vent channel78. The fourth valve84normally leaves a path defined between the second joint channel74and the fourth vent channel78open. The fourth valve84extends in horizontal direction as viewed inFIG. 6and has its right end88extending outward from the inner housing66. The third valve83is normally biased by a third spring89ato be closed and the fourth valve84is normally biased by a fourth spring89bto be opened.

The change-over switch60is formed with a pair of protrusions91,92destined to come in contact with respective ends86,88of the second valve82and the fourth valve84and supported by a rotary shaft93so as to be rotatable in the directions indicated by the double-headed arrow A. It should be noted here that the change-over switch60is normally held at the position NEUTRAL (SeeFIG. 5). This is for the reason that both the end86and the88biased by the second and fourth springs77b,89b, respectively, are pressed against the protrusions91,92.

FIG. 7is a view similar toFIG. 6, in which the change-over switch60has been clockwise rotated by manipulating the knob62to the position SUPPLY. As the protrusion91of the change-over switch60pushes the end86of the second valve82, the left end of the second valve82pushes the right end of the first valve81so as to ensure air communication between the first vent channel71and the coupler9. The air flows through the coupler9into the first vent channel71and then into the third vent channel76. The air flows through the first hose23and is supplied to the jacket3via the air supply and exhaust unit21. Referring toFIG. 7, both the first spring77aand the second spring77bare in compressed state and the second valve82and the change-over switch60return to the position NEUTRAL as inFIG. 6under a restoring force of the first and second springs77a,77bas the user's hand is released from the knob62.

FIG. 8is a view similar toFIG. 6, in which the change-over switch60has been counterclockwise rotated by manipulating the knob62to the position EXHAUST. As the protrusion92of the change-over switch60pushes the end88of the fourth valve84, the left end of the fourth valve84pushes the right end of the third valve83so as to ensure air communication between the second vent channel72and the coupler9. The air from the coupler9into the fourth vent channel78via the first joint channel73and the second vent channel72. The air is supplied through the second hose24to the air chamber38of the air supply and exhaust unit to ensure the jacket3to be air exhausted. Both the third spring89aand the fourth spring89bare in compressed state and the second valve82and the change-over switch60return to the position NEUTRAL as inFIG. 6under a restoring force of the third and fourth springs89a,89bas the user's hand is released from the knob62. Upon closure of the second valve83, air supply to the air chamber38is interrupted and the air within the air chamber38can flow into the jacket3via the second joint channel74, the first vent channel71and the third air supply channel76, resulting in closure of the exhaust valve42of the air supply and exhaust unit21.

FIG. 9is a sectional view taken along a line IX—IX inFIG. 6. From the first vent channel71of the inner housing66, the third vent channel76extends upward as viewed inFIG. 9and is connected to the first hose23.

FIG. 10is a sectional view taken along a line X—X inFIG. 6. From the second vent channel72of the inner housing66, the third vent channel78extends upward as viewed inFIG. 10and is connected to the second hose24.

With the air supply and exhaust system constructed as has been described above, air supply to the jacket3as well as air exhaust from the jacket can be achieved merely by rotating the knob62of the manipulating unit22in any one of the directions indicated by the double-headed arrow A. In this manner, manipulation for air supply and exhaust is simplified and the diver is not required to be skillful in use of the air supply and exhaust system. Whether the first and second hoses23,24are in proper connection with the air supply and exhaust unit21or not can be checked merely by unscrewing the cap47and operation of the slide member36can be checked merely by removing the cover member46. In this way, checking of the air supply and exhaust system11is effectively facilitated.

The present invention allows for production of the air supply and exhaust system improved so that manipulation as well as checking is simplified.