A flapper assembly for an aspirator system includes a flapper plate and a valve assembly. The flapper plate defines a first plurality of apertures. The valve assembly includes a first valve plate disposed over the first plurality of apertures and a first pressure relief assembly arranged to move the first valve plate relative to the flapper plate.

An inflatable survival vest includes an inflatable bladder having an inflation inlet through which a gas is input to inflate the bladder. The bladder is configured in the shape of a vest. The bladder has a plurality of parallel seams that divide the bladder into tubular channels. The tubular channels cause the vest to have a wavy outwardly facing surface with crests and troughs and a wavy inwardly facing surface with crests and troughs. An inner air chamber is positioned along the inwardly facing surface of the bladder. A shell with limited stretch-ability overlies the inflatable bladder, thereby limiting outward expansion of the bladder such that the bladder is adapted to expand inwardly pressing the inner air chamber against a body of a person wearing the bladder.

A liquid-ingress control device, comprising a casing having an interior and an exterior, and optionally, a liquid-activated trigger positioned in the casing interior, the casing comprising an exterior liquid entry control surface defined by a perimeter in sealing relationship with an edge of a cap, the cap having an interior cap surface formed to define a cap space between the interior cap surface and the liquid entry control surface; the liquid entry control surface comprising a liquid entry port comprising a tube extending between the exterior and interior of the casing through an aperture formed in the entry control surface, the tube optionally comprising a flange positioned exterior to the casing; the cap comprising at least two flow apertures positioned such that liquid contained within the cap space is capable of egress under gravity from the cap space, independently of the orientation of the device.

An inflatable survival vest includes an inflatable bladder having an inflation inlet through which a gas is input to inflate the bladder. The bladder is configured in the shape of a vest. The bladder has a plurality of parallel seams that divide the bladder into tubular channels. The tubular channels cause the vest to have a wavy outwardly facing surface with crests and troughs and a wavy inwardly facing surface with crests and troughs. An inner air chamber is positioned along the inwardly facing surface of the bladder. A shell with limited stretch-ability overlies the inflatable bladder, thereby limiting outward expansion of the bladder such that the bladder is adapted to expand inwardly pressing the inner air chamber against a body of a person wearing the bladder.

An inflator including in combination, an inflator body having at one end an input for receiving the neck of a gas cartridge, a manifold assembly intended to be fluidly connected to an inflatable, a combination automatic and manual actuator assembly including a spring-loaded actuator including a pierce pin for fracturing a frangible seal of the gas cartridge, a bobbin with a dissolvable pill that retains the spring-loaded actuator in a cocked position by an annular ring seat that engages the bobbin and a hood connected onto the end of the inflator body, the hood including an inwardly-extending tab that engages the actuator to securely retain the hood onto the end of the inflator body by means of the inwardly-extending tab being grasped by the forked end of the actuator.

An electro-pneumatic valve assembly includes a valve having a valve housing and a poppet and a solenoid valve having an actuator housing and a valve body. The valve housing has a wall that defines a valve inlet that is arranged to receive a fluid flow from a pressurized container and defines a valve outlet and a first port. The poppet is disposed within the valve housing and is movable between a first position and a second position. The actuator housing defines an opening. The valve body has a first wall that defines an inlet that is fluidly connected to the first port and a second wall that defines an outlet that is fluidly connected to the second port.

A valve assembly is provided and includes a valve housing, an actuator housing coupled to the valve housing and configured when actuated to open a normally-closed valve element in the valve housing whereby pressurized fluid is permitted to flow through the valve housing and a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve includes an armature-valve element balanced to remain in a closed position and an electromagnet. The electromagnet generates magnetic flux that moves the armature-valve element into an open position such that at least a portion of the pressurized fluid flows into the actuator housing to actuate the actuator housing.

A liquid-ingress control device, comprising a casing having an interior and an exterior, and optionally a liquid-activated trigger positioned in the casing interior; the casing comprising an exterior liquid entry control surface defined by a perimeter in sealing relationship with an edge of a cap, the cap having an interior cap surface formed to define a cap space between the interior cap surface and the liquid entry control surface; the liquid entry control surface comprising a liquid entry port comprising a tube extending between the exterior and interior of the casing through an aperture formed in the entry control surface, the tube optionally comprising a flange positioned exterior to the casing; the cap comprising at least two flow apertures positioned such that liquid contained within the cap space is capable of egress under gravity from the cap space, independently of the orientation of the device.

An electro-pneumatic valve assembly includes a valve having a valve housing and a poppet and a solenoid valve having an actuator housing and a valve body. The valve housing has a wall that defines a valve inlet that is arranged to receive a fluid flow from a pressurized container and defines a valve outlet and a first port. The poppet is disposed within the valve housing and is movable between a first position and a second position. The actuator housing defines an opening. The valve body has a first wall that defines an inlet that is fluidly connected to the first port and a second wall that defines an outlet that is fluidly connected to the second port.

A method of operating an inflation system is provided. The method includes recognizing that the inflation system is activated or actuated by a user, supplying current to an electromagnet of a solenoid valve of the inflation system such that an armature-valve element of the solenoid valve is moved to an open position, wherein movement of the armature valve element to the open position actuates an actuator housing that in turn causes a normally-closed valve element of a valve housing of the inflation system to open, and ceasing current supply to the electromagnet once the actuator housing is actuated.