Patent Publication Number: US-2016229501-A1

Title: Lifesaving bag

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a lifesaving appliance, and particularly to an object that serves the purpose of a bag when assembled and as a rescue rope when deployed. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Unexpected potential hazards are inevitable when travelling for pleasure, particularly in more dangerous areas such as ponds, creeks and beaches. When an accompanying family member or friend accidentally falls into the water, or in the event of a drowning person nearby, how can one promptly offer help? Without knowing local waters in that territory, directly jumping into the water to rescue is an extremely dangerous act. The safest measure is to stay onshore, and to perform rescue according to the fundamental concept of “stretching” and “throwing”. As such, the safety of the rescuer can also be ensured. However, at the instant of learning a drowning person, how to immediately find a lifesaving appliance remains an issue to be solved by the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above, in order to immediately find a lifesaving appliance for rescue at the instant of learning a drowning person, the present invention provides a lifesaving bag. The lifesaving bag of the present invention serves as a portable bag that readily carries objects one needs when one goes out, and may also be disassembled and deployed to become a rescue rope that provides immediate rescue. 
     The lifesaving bag of the present invention includes: a band, being long strip-shaped, including a first side, a second side, a head end engaging section and a rear end engaging section; a zipper group, including a first zipper portion, a second zipper portion and a zipper head, the first zipper portion disposed at the first side of the band, the second zipper portion disposed at the second side of the band, and the zipper head crossing and disposed between the first zipper portion and the second zipper portion and adapted for engaging and disengaging the first zipper portion and the second zipper portion; a bottom portion, joined and fixed with the rear end engaging section of the band along an edge of the bottom portion; and an head portion, joined and fixed with the head end engaging section of the band along an edge of the head portion. The first zipper portion and the second zipper portion may be engaged, such that the band becomes a hollow body, and the head portion and the bottom portion enclose upper and lower ends of the hollow body to form a bag. The first zipper portion and the second zipper portion may be disengaged, such that the band becomes a long strip-shaped rescue rope. 
     In one embodiment, the bottom portion includes a bottom sidewall that extends upward along a periphery of the bottom portion. An end of the bottom sidewall forms an open mouth. The rear end engaging section is fixed at the bottom sidewall, and has a slope relative to the bottom sidewall. 
     In one embodiment, a cover for sealing the open mouth is provided at the open mouth of the bottom sidewall, such that an accommodating chamber is formed among the bottom portion, the bottom sidewall and the cover. A float is disposed in the accommodating chamber. 
     In one embodiment, a zipper is provided between the bottom sidewall and the cover. The zipper allows the cover to open or close the open mouth. 
     In one embodiment, the float is made of an EVA foaming material. 
     In one embodiment, the head portion includes a head sidewall that extends downward along a periphery of the head portion. An end of the head sidewall forms an open mouth. The head end engaging section of the band is fixed at the head sidewall, and has a slope relative to the head sidewall. 
     In one embodiment, a strap is provided between the bottom portion and the head portion. 
     In one embodiment, the lifesaving bag further includes an inner bag. The inner bag may be placed in the hollow body formed by the band. 
     With the above technical solution, it is known that, compared to the prior art, the present invention substantially achieves following effects. First of all, the lifesaving bag of the present invention is formed by winding the band having the zipper. More specifically, the bag is enclosed and formed by the head portion on the top and the bottom portion at the bottom. The bag may hold objects and is easily portable for normal use. In the event of an emergency or a drowning person, the bag can be entirely pulled open to become an extremely long rope, which is then used or tossed to the drowning person for rescue. Secondly, the end that is tossed is the bottom portion of the bag and includes the float made of a high-density EVA foaming material that stays afloat and can be held onto by the drowning person. Further, the high-density foaming material has a weight for easy tossing. Thirdly, the float at the bottom portion of the bag provides the bag with buoyancy, and is thus capable of protecting a user carrying the bag from sinking when the users falls into the water. 
     The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an appearance according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of  FIG. 1  is a deployed state. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of operations of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial enlarged view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a first schematic diagram when the present invention is tossed to rescue a drowning person. 
         FIG. 6  is a second schematic diagram when the present invention is tossed to rescue a drowning person. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an appearance according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of operations according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an appearance of a lifesaving bag  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows a perspective view when the lifesaving bag  100  in  FIG. 1  is deployed. In the embodiment, the lifesaving bag  100  includes a band  10 , a zipper group  20 , a bottom portion  30  and a head portion  40 . 
     In the embodiment, the band  10  is long strip-shaped, and is made of a flexible material. In the embodiment, the band  10  is selected from a plastic material, e.g., PVC, which features characteristics of being water resistant, light and tough. The band  10  includes a first side  11 , a second side  12 , a head end engaging section  13  and a rear end engaging section  14 . The band  10  currently adopted for manufacturing the bag is more than 5 meter (m). 
     In the embodiment, the zipper group  20  includes a first zipper portion  21 , a second zipper portion  22  and a zipper head  23 . The first zipper portion  21  is disposed at the first side  11  of the band  10 . The second zipper portion  22  is disposed at the second side  12  of the band  10 . The zipper head  23  crosses and is disposed between first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22 , and is adapted to engage or disengage the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22 . The first zipper portion  21 , the second zipper portion  22  and the zipper head  23  may be implemented by common commercial products. Associated structures and features are prior art, and shall be omitted here for brevity. Further, the zipper group  20  may be implemented by a water resistant zipper. 
     In the embodiment, the bottom portion  30  includes a bottom sidewall  31  that extends upward along the periphery of the bottom portion  30 . An end of the bottom sidewall  31  forms an open mouth  32 . The rear end engaging section  14  of the band  10  is fixed at the bottom sidewall  31 , and has a slope relative to the bottom sidewall  31 . As such, the band  10  is provided with moderateness when the band  10  is winded upward along the bottom sidewall  31 , and the two may be joined by sewing. Further, a cover  33  for sealing the open mouth  32  is provided at the open mouth  32  of the bottom sidewall  31 , such that an accommodating chamber  34  for accommodating a floating object  35  is formed among the bottom portion  30 , the bottom sidewall  31  and the cover  33 . Further, a zipper  36  is provided between the bottom sidewall  31  and the cover  33  to allow the cover  33  to open or close the open mouth  32 . 
     The bottom portion  30  and the bottom sidewall  31  may made of fabric (e.g., canvas) or a plastic material (e.g., PVC). The floating object  35  may be made of a high-density foaming material, e.g., an EVA foaming material, which has a high density and good buoyancy. Thus, without involving a very large volume, the floating object  35  provides a substantial weight, and can be easily tossed to a farther position of a drowning person. Further, the zipper  36  may also be implemented by a water resistant zipper. By implementing the water resistant zipper collaborating with a watertight plastic material, when the floating object  35  is taken out of the accommodating chamber  34 , the cover  33  can be closed to restore the accommodating chamber  34 . The volume of the air in the accommodating chamber  34  is then used to produce buoyancy, in a way that the accommodating chamber  34  can serve as a float. 
     In the embodiment, the head portion  40  includes a head sidewall  41  that extends downward from the head portion  40 . An end of the head sidewall  41  forms an open mouth  32 . The head end engaging section  13  of the band  10  is fixed at the head sidewall  41 , and has a slope relative to the head sidewall  41 . As such, the band  10  is provided with moderateness when the band  10  is winded, and the two may be joined by sewing. 
     The head portion  40  and the head sidewall  41  may made of fabric (e.g., canvas) or a plastic material (e.g., PVC). 
     Again referring to  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment, a strap  50  is disposed between the bottom portion  30  and the head portion  40 . The strap  50  includes a fastening member  51 . In the embodiment, the strap  50  is implemented by a cross-body strap. One person skilled in the art can understand that, the strap  50  may also be in other forms, or may be a carrying strap. Such variations are within the scope of the present invention. 
     When the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22  are engaged, the band  10  becomes a hollow body. The head portion  40  and the bottom portion  30  enclose the upper and lower ends of the hollow body to form a bag  60  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). When the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22  are disengaged, the band  10  becomes a long strip-like rescue rope (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). In one embodiment, the present invention further includes an inner bag  61  (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). The inner bag  61  is disposed in the bag  60  formed by the head portion  40 , the bottom portion  30  and the band  10 . More specifically, the inner bag  61  is accommodated and however not fixed in the hollow body. Thus, when implemented under normal circumstances, the inner bag  61  may be used for storing objects. In an emergency rescue, a user may disengage the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22  to cause the band  10  to become a long strip-like rescue rope for rescue purposes. As the inner bag  61  is not a part of the band  10 , the inner bag  61  still maintains the function of storing objects. Further, the inner bag  61  may be provided with a drawstring or a structure for sealing, so as to prevent objects in the inner bag  61  from getting lost during the rescue process. Further, the inner bag  61  may also be provided with a carrying strap or a strap for a user to easily hand-carry or carry on the shoulders. 
     In the above description, details of components and the assembly method of the lifesaving bag  100  according to an embodiment are disclosed. Application characteristics of the lifesaving bag  100  are further given below. Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , in the application process of the present invention, a user  70  first takes out the inner bag  61 , and disengages the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22  using the zipper head  23  in  FIG. 1 . After being fully disengaged, the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22  are in a state shown in  FIG. 2 . Fundamentally, the cover  33  seals the open mouth  32  of the bottom portion  30 , such that the floating object  35  is secured and does not fall out. During the rescue for drowning, the head portion  40  or the band  10  near the head portion  40  is held by one hand, and the bottom portion  30  is held by the other hand and then tossed towards the direction of a drowning person  71  (referring to  FIG. 5 ) or towards above the water current. Thus, the bottom portion  30  with the floating object  35  is allowed to flow along with the water current to the location of the drowning person  71 . As the drowning person  71  catches and holds the bottom portion  30  or the band  10 , the drowning person  71  can be pulled up (referring to  FIG. 6 ). After the rescue, according to the foregoing method or steps, the zipper head  23  is pulled in a reverse direction to thoroughly engage the first zipper portion  21  and the second zipper portion  22 , thereby completing the assembly of the bag  60  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). Because the bottom portion  30  and the head portion  40  of the band  10  are made of a floatable material, in addition to staying afloat when tossed into the water, the bottom portion  30  and the head portion  40  as well as the floating object  35  also provide the bag  60  with buoyancy to allow the drowning person  71  carrying the bag  60  to also become afloat. Moreover, in the implementation of the present invention, the cover  33  sealing the bottom portion  30  and the zipper  36  are made of a water resistant material. Therefore, when applying the present invention during a rescue process, water is prevented from seeping into the accommodating chamber  34  from the bottom portion  30 . Further, with the cover  33  and the zipper  36  made of a water resistant material, when applying the present invention, the accommodating chamber  34  is allowed to stay enclosed and the air temporarily sealed in the accommodating chamber  34  thus produces buoyancy to reinforce the buoyancy of the bag  60 .