Patent ID: 8920205

Claim:
A personal floatation device, comprising: an attachment device that selectably couples to a user's body; a housing coupled to the attachment device and including: a) a base; b) an outer wall extending outwardly from a perimeter of the base; c) an inner wall enclosed by the outer wall and extending outwardly from an interior region of the base; d) a compressed air container extending through the inner wall; e) a compressed air activation device disposed in an interior of the inner wall and functionally coupled to the compressed air container such that, when triggered, releases air therefrom; f) an air bladder in fluid communication with the compressed air container; g) a breakaway cover coupled to the outer wall that detaches when exposed to pressure from the air bladder inflating; and h) a trigger device functionally couples to the compressed air activation device; and including: a slack cord sized to be substantially longer than a distance from an exterior of the housing to the inner wall, the slack cord coupled to a trigger attachment of the compressed air activation device; and a breakaway grasping structure coupled to the housing and the slack cord and structure breaks away from the housing when significant force is applied thereto.