Patent ID: 7033237

Claim:
An inflatable safety apparatus ( 10 , 10 ′) which is manually or automatically operated, comprising: (a) a ribbon-shaped case ( 13 , 26 ) forming a belt and consisting of a strip of at least partly elastic or elasticized material folded onto itself along its larger sides, said ribbon-shaped case having opposing ends and being provided with connection means for said opposing ends; (b) a substantially circular section tubular inflatable chamber ( 12 ) having the shape of an open ring with opposing free ends tightly sealed and faced in the opposite direction on the front side of the user's body along the abdominal area; (c) at least one open ring lifebuoy-shaped inflatable element ( 15 , 18 ) having opposing ends and a section slightly higher than that of the inflatable chamber ( 12 ); (d) flexible extensible ducts ( 14 , 14 ′, 16 , 16 ′, 27 , 60 ) each connected and communicating at a first end, with the inflatable element ( 15 , 18 ) and, at an opposite second end, with the tubular inflatable chamber ( 12 ), the extension of said ducts allowing the positioning of said inflatable element ( 15 , 18 ) at the height of the user's armpit; (e) at least one pressurized gas bottle ( 17 , 20 ) operatively communicating with inflatable chamber ( 12 ) or said inflatable element ( 15 , 18 ) and provided with a valve assembly ( 32 ) and an operation rod ( 25 , 54 ); said tubular inflatable chamber ( 12 ), inflatable, element ( 15 , 18 ) and flexible ducts each being folded onto itself and together with said at least one pressurized gas bottle being housed in said ribbon-shaped case ( 13 , 26 ).