Abstract:
Lifesaving device, for use in boats, in particular sports boats, consisting substantially of an open helmet ( 1 ) with an integrated mouthpiece ( 7 ), respiration tubes ( 2 ) and a respiration controller ( 3 ), which are connected to an oxygen tank ( 12 ) that is carried on the person&#39;s body or detachably connected to the boat, characterized in that the mouthpiece ( 7 ) has a guard ( 8 ).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention concerns a lifesaving device to be used in water in the form of a water sports helmet with oxygen supply. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A safety risk in water sports, particularly in paddling, are cases when a paddler&#39;s head goes underwater due to capsizing the boat and the paddler can neither right the boat within seconds nor reach the surface. The most common causes for such cases are that the capsized boat has been trapped in eddying currents or wedged between rocks. 
         [0003]    Even if the paddler has followed Rule Number 1—never paddle alone—the paddler will only have 1½-2 minutes before brain damage due to lack of oxygen sets in and drowning may occur. In such a short time span, accompanying companions often do not succeed in reaching the scene of the accident, securing themselves and rescuing the accident victim, which frequently leads to tragedy. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The purpose of this invention is to save people from such an accidental death. The disclosed lifesaving device comprises an open water sports helmet with an integrated mouthpiece and connected oxygen bottle carried on the paddler&#39;s person or mounted on the boat. 
         [0005]    Additional features and advantages of the invention can be seen from the following description and illustration describing a preferred configuration of the invention using examples. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1-3  show full views of the helmet with the integrated mouthpiece according to the invention (in various exemplary configurations); 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2(   b ) and  2 ( c ) show cross-sections of the helmet with the integrated mouthpiece; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show schematics of the lifesaving device in the configuration preferred for the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Whereas standard open water sports helmets only protect against impacts, the innovative “Aquatic Sports Rescue Helmet” presented here also provides the function of an oxygen supply using a mouthpiece integrated into the helmet. There are different ways for integrating the mouthpiece into the helmet. 
         [0010]    Whereas  FIG. 1  shows a full-cut helmet  1  with the mouthpiece  7  integrated into the buckle-on belt  4  of the helmet  1 ,  FIG. 2  shows a full-face helmet  1  with the mouthpiece  7  integrated directly into the helmet frame  5 , and  FIG. 3  shows a full-cut helmet  1  with an attachable mask  6  with the mouthpiece  7  integrated into the mask  6 . 
         [0011]    The mouthpiece  7  is thus positioned directly in front of the mouth of the distressed person, which is of significant importance. 
         [0012]    Since everything must function quickly and simply when people are getting in emergency and panic situations, triggering the oxygen supply happens as shown in  FIG. 2(   c ) in the following way:
       Biting the guard  8  of the mouthpiece  7 , or   Pressing the tip of the tongue to open the guard  8  of the mouthpiece  7 , or   Poss. by using a ripcord mechanism instead of mouth movement to activate the oxygen supply, which is operated manually by pulling a ripcord a few centimeters long  9  attached to the lower helmet frame  5 , which releases the guard  8  of the mouthpiece  7  and activates the oxygen supply. Though, one must keep in mind that, in rare cases, the paddler&#39;s arms may be trapped, which makes the first two options the safer solutions.       
 
         [0016]    The guard  8  of the mouthpiece  7  consists of a small plastic plate and is secured by an extremely short metal chain just a few millimeters long, so that taking a deep breath will not allow it to enter the sportsman&#39;s throat. In the case that the kayaker is not anyway habitually using a nose clip  11 , there is for emergency situations in any case a nose clip  11  mounted on the mouthpiece  7  using a heavy-gage, flexible connecting wire. 
         [0017]    In accordance with the current state of the art, the breathing tubes  2  are connected with the mouthpiece  7  using valves that open in opposite directions and the mouthpiece  7  is equipped with protection valves (AquaStop) and/or an air shower, so that water from the paddler&#39;s mouth cannot enter the breathing tubes  2 . 
         [0018]    The mouthpiece  7 , regulator  3  and breathing tubes  2  are, in accordance with the state of the art, also suitable for low water temperatures (coldwater resistant). 
         [0019]    In order to avoid restricting the sportsman&#39;s mobility (such as when using paddles), both tubes  2  are kept tight against the upper body, which is easily possible through the routinely worn life jacket and its fasteners ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0020]    Depending on the kind of waters preferred by the paddler and the average rescue duration to be taken into consideration, the helmet  1  is provided with different oxygen supply variants: 
         [0021]    Because the pressure amounts to 0.10 to 0.15 bar when the head of a person is upside down in a water depth of 1 to 1.5 meters, a small dimensioned bottle  12  can be used. Hence, the helmet can be combined with a pony bottle (2 to 4 liters), a stage of similar capacity or spare air. In order to encounter low water temperatures and the danger of the formation of ice, a mono bottle with double valve is to be considered. 
         [0022]    The stability of the boat will not be affected by such a low weight of the oxygen bottle  12  (2 to 4 kg). In any event, the bottle  12  will be attached centrally to the boat. There are three options for this:
       Ideally, the bottle  12  is carried by a belt  13  around the abdomen ( FIG. 4 ).   the bottle  12  may also be inserted into an aluminum frame  14  attached either in front of or   behind the paddler at the entry hatch  15  ( FIG. 5 )       
 
         [0026]    As an additional safety precaution, an acoustic alarm siren ( 17 ) of at least 95 dB mounted on the keel of the boat is activated automatically by a radio signal the same moment when the sportsman is making use of the oxygen supply, which will indicate the sportsman&#39;s emergency status so that he can be located by the sound. 
         [0027]    The invention is not limited to the example for carrying out the invention as depicted and described, but there are several modifications and additions conceivable without leaving the scope of the invention. Hence, use of the lifesaving device according to the invention is, for example, not merely limited to boats and sport boats, in particular, but is in general conceivable on inland waters or at sea.