Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7854568?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-10-25 21:20:34
Document Index: 470383510

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'arts 3', 'art 4', 'art 2', 'arts 3', 'art 4', 'art 4']

Patent US7854568 - Diving equipment - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsDiving equipment easily operable by disabled persons, aged persons, etc. and wearable by oneself. The diving equipment such as buoyancy controlling device (BCD) has the function to hold a tank on the shoulder of a wearer and the function as a life jacket providing buoyancy to the wearer. In the diving...http://www.google.com/patents/US7854568?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7854568 - Diving equipmentAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7854568 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/281,204Publication dateDec 21, 2010Filing dateFeb 15, 2007Priority dateMar 1, 2006Also published asUS20100003083, WO2007099771A1Publication number12281204, 281204, US 7854568 B2, US 7854568B2, US-B2-7854568, US7854568 B2, US7854568B2InventorsShoji Ekuan, Masayuki Kurokawa, Atsushi TashiroOriginal AssigneeNihon UniversityExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (20), Non-Patent Citations (1), Classifications (14), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetDiving equipmentUS 7854568 B2Abstract Diving equipment easily operable by disabled persons, aged persons, etc. and wearable by oneself. The diving equipment such as buoyancy controlling device (BCD) has the function to hold a tank on the shoulder of a wearer and the function as a life jacket providing buoyancy to the wearer. In the diving equipment (BCD) of which the overall is formed in a vest-like shape, a tank holding part (2), shoulder parts (3) positioned at the both shoulder portions of a diver, and the portion (4) positioned at the center of the thoracabdominal part of the diver are formed continuously to each other so as to constitute rigid structural members. Most or all operating portions (5) are installed at the portion (4) positioned at the center of the thoracoabdominal part of the diver.
1. Diving equipment, for a diver, having a function to hold a tank filled with compressed air on the shoulder of a wearer, and a function as a life jacket providing buoyancy to the wearer, and an overall vest shape, the diving equipment comprising:
a rigid structural member, further including
a tank holding part, shoulders portions that divide into two portions on the shoulders of the diver, and a central portion of the structural member positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal region, wherein the tank holding part, the shoulders portions, and the central portion are formed continuous with each other;
an operating portion that is positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal region;
a handle, that is made of a rigid material, included in the tank holding part; and
pressure resistant hoses, through which the air flows from the tank, being connected with the inside of the handle through a first stage and extending forward to the diver's thoracoabdominal region through an inner space,
the inner space including an inner space of the tank holding part, an inner space of the shoulders portions, which are divided into the two portions, and an inner space of the central portion positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal region.
2. The diving equipment according to claim 1, wherein the operating portion comprises a lever-shape member that is movable to the left/right and downward.
3. The diving equipment according to claim 1, wherein the pressure resistant hoses through which air flows from the tank extend forward from the central portion positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal region.
4. The diving equipment according to claim 1, comprising regions where air stays that are provided at the left and right sides of the rigid structural member and wherein the regions where air stays are independently formed.
5. The diving equipment according to claim 1, comprising a holding portion that engages the pressure resistant hoses through which the air flows from the tank that is formed at the portion positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal region.
6. The diving equipment according to claim 1, wherein the tank holding part forms a gap between the tank and the diving equipment when holding the tank. Description
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to diving equipment that a diver wears when diving. More particularly, the present invention relates to diving equipment (hereafter, referred to as �BCD�) that a diver wears when diving, which has function to hold a tank filled with air for diving on the shoulder of the wearer and function as a life jacket providing buoyancy to the wearer, and is formed in a vest shape.
BACKGROUND ART Recently, the amount of people enjoying scuba diving has increased along with an increase in the popularity of the sports and the diversification of leisure. Further, a variety of disabled persons are also scuba diving.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Diving equipment BCD of the invention has a function to hold a tank filled with compressed air on the shoulder of a wearer and function as a life jacket providing buoyancy to the wearer, and is formed in a vest shape, in which a tank holding part (2), shoulders portions(3) that are divide into two portions on the shoulders of the diver, and a portion (4)positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal part are formed continuously to each other. Further, a structural member having rigidity is provided and an operating portion (5) (most or all) is positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal part (4).
In the present invention, it is preferable that the operating portion (5) is a lever-shape member (intake lever 6 and exhaust lever 7 having lever portions 61, 71) that is movable to the left/right (in the directions of arrow R1 and arrow R2) and downward (along the center line of the diver) (in the direction of arrow V).
Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that pressure resistant hoses (H8, H9, H6) through which air flows from the tank (T) extend forward from the portion (4) positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal part.
In the present invention, it is preferable that regions (airbags 8L, 8R) where air stays are provided at the left and right sides of the rigid structural member (tank holding part 2, shoulders portions 3 that are divide into two portions on the shoulders of the diver, and a portion 4 positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal part) and the regions (airbags 8L, 8R) are independently formed.
Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that a holding portion (holder 41) that engages (locks and holds) the pressure hoses (H8, H9, H6) through which the air flows from the tank is formed at the portion (4) positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal part.
In the present invention, it is preferable that a handle (9) that is made of a rigid material is provided to the tank holding part (2).
In the present invention, it is preferable that the pressure resistant hoses H1 to H4 through which the air flows from the tank (T) are connected with the inside of the handle (9) through a first stage (10), and extend forward from the diver's thoracoabdominal part through the inner space of the tank holding part (2), the inner space of the shoulder parts (3), which are divided into two portions, and the inner space of the portion (4) positioned at the center of the diver's thoracoabdominal part.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the tank holding part (2) (of which the whole (longitudinal) length is relatively small) forms a gap between the tank and the diving equipment when holding the tank (T).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view according to an embodiment of the invention.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SYMBOL 1: diving equipment/BCD
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the invention are described hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Diving equipment is indicated by a reference numeral �100� in FIGS. 1 to 4, FIG. 1 is a front view, FIG. 2 is a rear view, FIG. 3 is a perspective front view, and FIG. 4 is a perspective rear view.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the diving equipment 100 has a tank holding part 2, shoulder parts 3, and thoracoabdominal part 4 (see FIG. 1). The tank holding part 2, the shoulder parts 3, and thoracoabdominal part 4 are continuously formed, and entirely form a rigid structural member (function-integrated member). The entire rigid structural member or the function-integrated member is indicated by a reference numeral �60� and has an integrated intake/exhaust function.
The hose holders 41 are protrusions that protrude in a J-shape and the insides of the J-shaped curved portions (indicated by a reference numeral 41 a) faces the left/right center of thoracoabdominal part 4.
Referring to FIG. 1, the curved inside 41 a (connected to the cap J8) of the hose holder 41 formed at the left side of FIG. 5 holds the hose H8 for the regulator and the hose H9 for the gauge (connected to the cap J9).
On the other hand, the curved inside 41 a of the hose holder 41 formed at the right side of FIG. 5 holds the hose H6 for the octopus (connected to the cap J6) and the hose for the optional hose (connected to the cap J9, not shown).
The oral inflator 14 is a device for filling the airbags with air through the diver's mouth (exhaling: indicated by a reference character �AM� in FIG. 1). For example, when standing by on a boat or on the surface of water before diving, the diver needs to supply air into the airbags to obtain buoyancy, but, in order to supply air into the airbags, the diver fills the airbags with air by exhaling using the oral inflator 14 without using the air in the air tank.
In FIG. 1, a reference numeral �15� indicates weight bags (weight sacs) for balancing the left and right buoyancy and a reference numeral �16� indicates a weight suit.
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