Patent ID: 7357689

Claim:
An automatic inflation device, comprising: a housing having an internal cavity for retaining a cylinder containing a compressed gas and a manifold for the discharging of a compressed gas from the cylinder so as to exit the housing; a puncture pin attached to said housing and located in said housing internal cavity a compressed gas cylinder subassembly positioned at least partially within said housing internal cavity, comprising a compressed gas cylinder having a cap attached thereto, a base plate, restraining arms attached to the cylinder base plate and a spring held in compression between sad cap and said cylinder base plate, said spring configured to drive said cylinder to engage said puncture pin and discharge at least some of said compressed gas; and a triggering device subassembly positioned within said housing internal cavity and circumferentially encompassing said restraining arms, said triggering device subassembly comprising a degradable element subject to compression forces which provides structural integrity so as maintain the triggering device subassembly in armed condition so long as said element is not degraded; and an activation subassembly comprising a holding means connected to said triggering device subassembly, said holding means configured so as to hold said spring in an armed static condition as long as said triggering device subassembly remains in the armed condition.