Patent Publication Number: US-7223143-B1

Title: Inflatable, self-propelled life vest

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to life vests. More particularly, the invention relates to self-propelled life vests. Even more particularly the invention relates to a motor-driven, self-propelled inflatable swimming vest or life vest, particularly suited for saving the lives of swimmers who are handicapped or who have one or more missing limbs. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Life vests are known. 
   There have been previous attempts at providing life vests for disabled people. 
   There have likewise been previous attempts to provide life vests and other floatation devices which include propelling devices of varying types. 
   Known U.S. patents include: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 1,259,201 to Barringer; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,772 to Assawah et al.; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 2,312,976 to Pels; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,706 to Fister; 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,764 to Bradley; and 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,782 to Siladke et al. 
   None of the known devices have proven satisfactory. 
   It may be seen that there is a need for an improved self-propelled life vest which overcomes the drawbacks of known devices. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the invention to provide a self-propelled life vest which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled life vest which saves time and lives, thanks to the vest speeding up the rescue of swimmers who are in trouble. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled life vest which assists lifeguards in bringing swimmers back to shore more quickly who have been rescued. 
   Yet another object of the invention to provide a self-propelled life vest which can be used by children as well as adults to have fun. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a self-propelled life vest which can be used to rescue handicapped users who have fallen into or otherwise ended up in the water, such as when a boat sinks. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide a self-propelled life vest which is sufficiently powerful to assist swimmers, and which includes one or more speeds depending on the needs of the user or the demands of the situation. 
   In sum, the invention includes a self-propelled life vest for assisting a swimmer in water. The life vest includes an inflatable body, the body being configured for being worn on a torso of a swimmer. An upper connector is provided and configured for connecting the body to an upper portion of a swimmer, in use. A lower connector is configured for connecting to a lower portion of a swimmer, in use. A propulsion unit on the vest is sufficiently strong for propelling a swimmer through water, in use. A power is operatively connected with the propulsion unit for powering the propulsion unit. 
   An inflation control is provided on the body and operatively connects with the inflation device for inflating and deflating the inflation device, in use. A propulsion unit housing prevents the swimmer from contacting the propulsion unit, and directs inflow and outflow of propelled water, in use, for assisting in moving the swimmer in the desired direction. 
   The invention may further include one or more controls for inflating and deflating the life vest. 
   The invention likewise includes one or more controls for turning on and off the propulsion device and/or varying the speed of propulsion. 
   Relative terms such as up, down, front, rear, left, and right are for convenience only and are not intended to be limiting. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a self-propelled life vest according to the invention, in use, propelling a handicapped swimmer through the water; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged front view of the self-propelled life vest of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of  FIG. 2  illustrating the self-propelled life vest according to the invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a partially broken away front view similar to the view of  FIG. 2  illustrating the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1–4  illustrate an embodiment of the invention, in use, attached to a swimmer  10 . 
   Swimmer  10  is shown including a torso  12 , a right arm  14 , and a left arm  16 , shown here as a partially amputated left arm, as an example of the type of handicap which swimmer  10  may have and which swimmer  10  is being assisted by a life vest  20  according to the invention. 
   Life vest  20  may include a lower strap  24  configured for detachably attaching to torso  12 , and an upper strap  28  for detachably attaching to an upper portion of swimmer  10 , such as around a neck  18  of swimmer  10 . 
   In use, self-propelled life vest  20  may move swimmer  10  in a forward direction of travel  30 , as shown. 
   Lower connector or strap  24  may include a quick-attach connector  34 , such as the illustrated female connector  34 , or a part of a hook-and-loop fastener, such as VELCRO® brand fasteners, as will be readily appreciated. 
   Upper strap  28  may include a male connector  38  for quickly attaching and detaching from female connector  34  or a mating part of a hook-and-loop fastener. In addition to or alternatively, lower strap  24  may include a flexible or adjustable strap material  42  to assist in attaching life vest  20  to different sizes of users. 
   Life vest  20  may include a body  50  including a rear  54  configured for being secured adjacent the front of torso of the swimmer&#39;s torso  12 . A forward portion  56  may typically be provided at an upper portion of the swimmer&#39;s body, in use. Body  50  may be an inflatable body  50 , as shown, for assisting in keeping swimmer  10  afloat. 
   A front  58  of body  50  may typically be facing away from swimmer  10 , in use. 
   A bottom region or portion  52 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , would typically be located at a lower portion of swimmer  10 , in use. 
   A housing  60 , such as a motor housing, may be provided on front  58  of life vest  20 . 
   A control, such as a control unit  70 , which may include electrical or electromechanical controls, as well as a power source, such as batteries, in the case where electricity provides the power for powering vest  20 , may be provided on front  58 . Control unit  70  may include an inflate/deflate switch  74  for inflating and deflating the life vest  20 , in use. Life vest  20  is shown inflated in  FIGS. 1–4 ; i.e., in its typical use position or state. The use of a self-inflating device assists all users, and may be particularly useful for handicapped users, at least for handicapped users who may have difficulty inflating a conventional life vest, for example. The inflation unit  70  is useful in the case of non-handicapped swimmers  10 , as any swimmer who has fallen in the water, or who is otherwise attempting to reach shore, may be nervous and may have a more difficult time inflating life vest  20 , than in the case where swimmer  10  is calm. 
   One or more switches  84  and  88  may be provided for controlling the speed of a propulsion drive  100 . Switch  84  may be a low speed switch, for example, and switch  88  may be a high speed switch. 
   A housing  104  may be provided for covering gearing and driving mechanism  100  for distributing power to a propulsion unit  114 . A propulsion housing  110  having a front  112  may be provided for enclosing propulsion unit  114 . Propulsion housing  110  may be configured sufficiently open so that water to be propelled may enter propulsion housing  110 , and be accelerated and propelled out of propulsion housing  110  by propulsion unit  114 , for causing vest  20  and swimmer  10  to move through the water in direction  30 , in use, as will be readily appreciated. 
   One or more guide fins  116  and  118  may be provided for causing or assisting in causing life vest  20  to move in forward direction  30 , in use. 
   In the case where propulsion unit  114  includes driven propellers, propulsion unit  114  may include first, outer propeller shafts  124  and  128 , as well as second, inner propeller shafts  134  and  138 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Each one of propeller shafts  124 ,  128 ,  134 , and  138  may include one or more propellers  142  and  144 , as shown. Two propellers  142  and  144  are shown on propeller shaft  134  for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to be limiting. 
   In use, swimmer  10  who is in the water, actuates inflate/deflate switch  74 , and inflates body  50  of vest  20 . 
   Then, as desired, swimmer  10  actuates one or both of switches  84  and  88  in order to drive one or more of the propellers of propulsion unit  114 . 
   Assuming that swimmer  10  wishes to first propel vest  20  at a first, low speed, for example, the user would flip switch  84  and cause gearing or drive  104  to drive inner propeller shafts  134  and  138  for causing associated propellers  142  and  144  of each of those two propeller shafts to rotate. 
   As will be readily appreciated, water will be drawn inwardly into propulsion unit  110 , such water being indicated by arrows  202  and  204 . Propellers  142  and  144 , driven by rotating shafts  132  and  138  will cause inwardly drawn water  202 ,  204  to be forced out of propulsion unit  114 , such as shown by arrows  302  representing propelled water. Swimmer  10  will thus be moved away from the direction of arrow  302  forwardly in the water in direction  30 . 
   If the user then decides that he or she would like to be propelled at a greater rate of speed, user  10  may switch high speed switch  88  into its on position. In that manner, drive unit  104  may actuate second, outer propeller shafts  124  and  128 , thus driving each of their respective propellers. In that manner, water drawn inwardly as shown by arrows  202  and  204  will be propelled as shown by exiting arrows  304  and  306 , in addition to exiting water arrows  302 , and swimmer  10  will be propelled forwardly in direction  30  at a greater rate of speed. 
   It should be appreciated that each of the shafts  124  and  134 , for example, may be driven at the same rate of speed. Thanks to the driving of twice as many propeller shafts and twice as many propellers, as shown in the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 4 , even though the propellers are being driven at the same rate of speed, thanks to the driving of additional propellers at high speed versus at low speed, more water is being propelled, and the greater flow rate will cause the user to move forwardly at a greater rate of speed, as will be readily appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art. 
   It is likewise contemplated that one or more of the propellers  142  and  144  be driven at different rates of speed. 
   It is further contemplated that other drive units and propulsion units may be provided in addition to, or instead of, the illustrated motor-driven, electrically powered, and propeller-driven drive and propulsion units. 
   While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto.